Leontodon saxatilis
hairy hawkbit
Western and southern Europe, North Africa, and western Asia
Overview
Leontodon saxatilis is a small, dandelion-like perennial of short, dry turf, named hairy hawkbit for the stiff, forked hairs on its leaves. A flat rosette of narrow leaves 1-4.7 inches (2.5-12 cm) long, with shallow rounded lobes and toothed edges, sits close to the ground. From June to October it lifts solitary yellow flower heads 0.4-0.8 inches (10-20 mm) across on slender, leafless, unbranched stalks 2-12 inches (5-30 cm) tall, each stalk usually nodding while in bud and straightening as the flower opens. The outer ray florets are often greyish or reddish on the underside. Unlike true dandelions, the flowering stalk bears no scales and the seed head is less fluffy. It grows in dry, short grassland, lawns, dunes, cliff tops, path edges, and trampled ground on sandy or lime-rich soils, tolerating mowing, grazing, and drought. The flower heads close in dull weather and toward evening. It grows from a short rootstock, overwinters as a leaf rosette, and flowers from its second year. It can be told from the autumn hawkbit (Scorzoneroides autumnalis) by its unbranched stalks and forked leaf hairs.
Native Range
Native to western and southern Europe, North Africa, and western Asia, north to the British Isles. It has become naturalized in North America, Australia, and New Zealand.Suggested Uses
Grown in wildflower lawns, dry and coastal meadows, and pollinator plantings on poor, free-draining soil. It suits naturalistic short-turf and conservation schemes. Its low, weedy spread makes it unsuited to formal borders, though it persists well in mown grass.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height2" - 1'
Width/Spread4" - 8"
Reaches mature size in approximately 2 years
Bloom Information
Yellow flower heads open from June to October, one to a stalk, over a long season. They open in sun and close in dull weather and toward evening, and are visited by bees, hoverflies, and butterflies. Each head ripens into a small clock of parachute-tipped seeds.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 5-9 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight