Species Information

• meadow hawkweed
• Hieracium pratense Tausch = Hieracium caespitosum Dumort.
• USDA Symbol: HIPR
• Oregon Noxious Weed Designation: A, T
• Pictures

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Identification: Perennial; flowers June to July in lower elevations. Grows 10 to 36 inches tall. Leaves are hairy, spatula shaped and almost exclusively basal. Flower heads are clustered, yellow, 1/2 wide, and number up to 30 per plant. Extensive stolons form dense mats of vegetation. King-devil hawkweed (H. piloselloides), yellow hawkweed (H. floribundum) and meadow hawkweed (H. pratense) are all very similar and difficult to classify. Native hawkweeds have numerous stem leaves, lack stolons and generally have solitary flowers. This plant is limited in distrubution in Oregon. Populations are known to occur in Wallowa and Clackamas counties.

Impacts: Plants of the hawkweed complex produce mats of rosettes preventing desirable plants from establishing or surviving. Hawkweeds dominate sites by outcompeting other species for water and nutrients and by releasing alleopathic compounds from their own decaying leaves. They grow well in moist grassy areas but do not tolerate shade well. They are becoming troublesome weeds in native meadows, prairies, pastures and lawns. Wilderness areas in the Pacific Northwest are at risk of invasion.

Biological Controls: Biological control agents are not used on "A" listed weeds in Oregon. This weed is being managed for eradication or containment.

Oregon Maps of Meadow Hawkweed Distribution

Links:

USDA Plants Database information on meadow hawkweed

GRIN Database information on meadow hawkweed

Oregon Department of Agriculture information on meadow hawkweed