Hairy Cat's Ear
Hypochaeris radicata
- Native to:
- Albania, Algeria, Austria, Baleares, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Corse, Czechia-Slovakia, Denmark, East Aegean Is., France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Kriti, Labrador, Lebanon-Syria, Libya, Morocco, Netherlands, North Caucasus, Norway, NW. Balkan Pen., Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Sardegna, Sicilia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Transcaucasus, Tunisia, Türkiye, Türkiye-in-Europe, Ukraine
Agnes Monkelbaan
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Genus:
- Hypochaeris
- Species:
- Hypochaeris radicata
- USDA Symbol:
- HYRA3
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 60 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun,jul,aug,sep,oct
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Zosteropoda hirtipes
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Fernald cuckoo bumble bee (Bombus flavidus), Fuzzy-horned bumble bee (Bombus mixtus), Red-belted bumble bee (Bombus rufocinctus), Two-form bumble bee (Bombus bifarius), ⚠️Western honey bee (Apis mellifera), Yellow bumble bee (Bombus fervidus), Yellow-faced bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from taproot after fire or mowing; tolerates disturbance well.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- commonly found in grasslands and open areas
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 7–21 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate readily without pretreatment; light may improve germination rates.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI