Description
Hieracium – Hawkweed –
There are about 260 species of tap rooted, perennials many of which are weeds, in this genus. They are widespread over the Northern Hemisphere occurring in diverse habitats, including grass land, dry, stony slopes, cultivated fields, and alpine meadows. They have basal rosettes of lance shaped to linear or obovate, smooth edged to deeply toothed, pale to dark green leaves and dandelion like flowers, in yellow, orange or red. Those described below are grown mainly for their downy foliage and loose panicles of flowers borne in summer. They are suitable for a large rock garden or wild garden, but may self seed freely.
Grow in poor, well drained soil in full. The flowers may be removed for best foliage effects, but if retained, should be deadheaded to prevent excessive sel seeding. Dived in spring.
Prone to caterpillars, slugs and snails, powdery mildew, rust, and smut.
H. umbellatum – Leafy Hawkweed – This variably, softly hairy perennial from Europe and Western Asia grows 16-24″ tall and 10-16″ wide. It produces linear to lance shaped, slightly toothed, dark green leaves, ½” long. In summer atop robust stems it bears lax panicles of up to 10 yellow flowers, to 1 1/4″ across, with black-brown bracts.
Zones 4-8
