orange hawkweed
Family
AsteraceaeScientific Name
Hieracium aurantiacum
Habit
Orange hawkweed has a 20 to 70 cm stalk covered with stiff black hairs. Broken stem and leaves will exude a milky juice when broken. This plant spreads by 3 different habits seed, long spreading rhizomes, and above ground runners.
Leaves
The leaves covered with stiff hairs are club-shaped with smooth margins. Leaves are basal and usually measure 5-15 cm long and 1-3.5 cm wide.
Identifying Characteristics
Orange Flowers, milky juice in leaves and stem and basal leaves.
Flower Seed Head
2 to 2.5 cm across the flower head consists of burnt-orange ray florets. The compact terminal cluster bears 5 to 25 flower heads. Floral bracts covered with stiff black hairs 6-8mm long are usually arranged in 2-3 rows.
Seed Fruit
An achene containing a 2 mm long purplish black oblong seed. The surface of which has lengthwise ridges. 3 mm long off-white hairs make up the pappus.
Where Found
Found throughout Canada and the Northern half of the United States this weed is a serious problem in pastures, roadsides, and lawns.
Growth Habit
Varies:
upright and nonwoody,
prostrate and nonwoody
Thorns or Spines
not present
Approximate Flower Diameter
pencil
Dominant Flower Color
Varies:
red,
orange
Flower Symmetry
radial symmetery
Leaf Hairs
has hairs
Leaf Shape
Varies:
lance,
spatulate
Leaf Arrangement
whorled
Leaf Margin
entire
Leaf Structure
simple
Leaf Stalk
shorter than leaf
Stem Hairs
has hairs
Stem Cross Section
round or oval
Milky Sap
present
Root Structure
taproot
Life Cycle
perennial
Ochrea
not present
Plant Type
Herb