Leaf type: Lobed, serrated
Leaf margin: Hairy
Phyllotaxis: Rosette-shaped
Colour: Green
Life cycle: Perennial
Leaf (upper side)
Growth habit & biology
Hypochaeris radicata is a perennial evergreen plant and can reach a height of up to 60 centimeters when in bloom.
The rosette-shaped leaves are finely hairy and usually lie flat on the ground. Depending on the location, however, they may also grow semi-erect.
Distribution & habitates
Asia, Europe, North Africa, and as an introduced species also in Australia, New Zealand, North America, and South America (source).
Hypochaeris radicata colonizes meadows, pastures, and embankments, but can also be found along roadsides and on gravel paths. It thrives best in sunny locations.
Botany
Hypochaeris radicata is a member of the Asteraceae family and is commonly known as catsear, cat’s-ear, hairy cat’s ear, flatweed, or false dandelion.
How Hypochaeris radicata Survives in Frequently Mowed Meadows
Hypochaeris radicata is perfectly adapted to surviving in meadows and green spaces that are mowed regularly. It seems as if nature designed it specifically for these habitats.
Its leaf rosettes lie so close to the ground that they usually escape complete destruction during mowing. Only the flower stalks, which can reach heights of up to 70 centimeters, are cut. New flowering shoots often appear just two days after mowing.
The rosettes are also remarkably resistant to being stepped on. As a result, Hypochaeris radicata thrives even along heavily used paths. It can even establish itself in the cracks between paving stones.
And that’s a good thing, because its flowers are visited by wild bees, hoverflies, beetles, and other insects that live in urban environments. From spring through fall, Hypochaeris radicata provides them with pollen and nectar. In Central Europe, flowering plants can be seen well into October.
