Orange hawkweed (Pilosella aurantiaca, previously called: Hieracium aurantiacum) is a small sized, broad-leaved lawn weed. It’s a common plant in neglected lawns all over the UK.
It is also referred to as Fox-and-cubs, Tawny Hawkweed or the Devil’s Paintbrush and is probably my favourite flower of all of the lawn weeds that I come across due to its lovely orange flowers.
It has a circular arrangement of leaves that come from a single growth node at ground level. The leaves are dark green, a long oval in shape, quite hairy and can grow up to 15cm long. It flowers from May through to September and sends up a tall stem up to 60cm tall. Atop which sits its cluster of flowers. It is from this cluster that it gets the common name of Fox-and-cubs as often the fox-coloured flowers are mixed with those yet to open.
The orange hawkweed flower is a beautiful burnt-orange colour, similar in sized to the common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) (to which it is related) and it is really noticeable in a garden.
Orange Hawkweed a pest?
Orange hawkweek is on the noxious or quarantine list in some countries in which it has invaded. Especially the USA and Australia. Please check local regulations if you are outside of the UK.
It is a hardy perennial herb which was first brought over to Britain from Europe in the 17th century. It’s not at all native to these isles. However, it has been here a fair while and has naturalised almost everywhere.
It reproduces both through setting seed and through rhizome and stolon runners along the soil and can be difficult to control by hand-weeding if it has been allowed to establish. It can spread quite quickly if it takes hold.
Orange hawkweed is easily controlled in lawns through chemical application. A regular lawn treatment will take care of these weeds in your lawn.
If you have a problem with hawkweed in your lawn, then get in touch. I will be happy to advise.
Kris Lord
Orange Hawkweed appeared in my garden s couple of years ago. I thought it was a very attractive plant at first. I realised I had a problem when it started spreading and I began asking people about it. One neighbour said he had it and picked the flowers before they went to seed. I saw another garden covered in them. No one seemed to know what they were called. A friend told me the name and I started checking, discovering how invasive it was and difficult to erradicate it. I read somewhere that the pollen, if it is carried by pollinators to another species of flower will make it infertile. This would destroy the landscape in no time. Surely this plant needs to be banned and people made aware of the problems it causes. I doubt farmers would not want it on their land.
Really interesting, thanks for letting me know.
Kris – I just wanted to say I’ve learnt so much in 5 minutes!, so thank you I now discover I have this lovely fox and cubs plant in my lawn. Now I’m armed with a wealth of information I’ll keep an eye on it. But for now, it looks really pretty and the bees and butterflies seem to love it, so I’ll just mow around them.
I am one of those people who adore this plant and was very sad when, rather than running amok it disappeared altogether several years ago. So I was very pleased when a friend gave me some plants from her garden where it is established in flower beds, and it seems to be settling back in mine.
I cannot understand the obsession with monculture grass lawns, which are basically sterile for wildlife purposes. Give me all kinds of daisies, clover, etc any day !!
I could not agree more
I totally agree with you, I love seeing all the wild flowers and weeds in the grass,
Good reply, love this ‘flower’ ..
Which selective lawn herbicide do you mean? I have tried them all. Have no local lawn specialists am solely reliable on internet shopping.
This plant totally destroys lawns and indeed fields it chokes out grass and eventually becomes a ‘lawn’ comprising of itself only.
The strongest of weed killers now being taken off the market are the only ones which work but of course kill everything. The selective ones leave the hawkweed thriving. If you can recommend anything which works I would be grateful . Thank you
In the UK the best selective herbicides are for licensed professional use only I’m afraid. They are not available for DIY home use.
The reason for this is to prevent widespread misuse, e.g. using near watercourses or pouring down drains. It has been proven in the past that the public cannot be trusted with harmful chemicals which can be really bad for the wider environment.
That is why I recommend contacting a professional lawn service. If you don’t have one in your area, some gardeners or farmers may have a spraying license and may be able to help you.
Thanks for reading.
Kris
I love these Orange Hawkweed plants on my lawn.they could take over as far as I am concerned
I’m not a gardener at all, but have attempted planting some additions into the front garden this year. It however seems pointless as orange hawkweed just sprouts up between the covering plants under bushes everywhere! Even finds a home in the small cracks of the wall which I’m sure it’s causing damage too! My neighbour has a sheeted and stone covered garden with orange hawkweed all round the edges that seed regularly. So his choice is giving me no choice other than to regularly remove these pests or let my garden get over run. As I said before I’m not a gardener and don’t want to spend time everyday fighting the endless battle, other weeds pop up but they are so quick to take a hold and don’t have such deep roots. This plant is a terror that should be banned, no question! Is there a way to raise it with the government?
Hi Marc,
The key to gardening is little, but often. Spend just a few minutes a week weeding and pulling out the small plants and you will get it under control quickly.
You never know, but just spending a little more time outside in your garden may turn you into a keen gardener!
Thanks for reading.
Kris
I want to establish a wildflower meadow on the slope in my garden. I left the grass last summer to see what would come up naturally. This year I had yellow and orange hawkweed, white achilleae, and birds foot trefoil. The bees loved them but I am wondering whether I should completely clear them out before planting my wildlife meadow seeds. Any advice.
Hi Lesley.
You are asking if you should remove the wild flowers so that you can plant wild flowers?
There’s not really any right or wrong answer to that I’m afraid.
Some management to keep the Hawkweed down maybe beneficial, but I would keep it as it is. It sounds nice.
Kris
This has appeared on my lawn in large patches. I’ve been told that it’s poisonous to animals and I’m getting a puppy in October. I also love my visiting wild birds whom I feed and I’m worried about them.
Is it really poisonous?
Many Thanks
Hi Judith,
It is termed as Noxious as the plant is unpalatable and undesirable in pasture and it’s seeds can create environments which deter other plants.
Unless your dog is stupid enough to consume huge amounts of it and nothing else, then it will be absolutely fine.
Wild birds live in the wild. They know what is food and what isn’t.
Your only concern should be it out competing other plants. This can be easily resolved by just weeding it out.
Thanks for reading.
Kris
Think of your neighbours who like it or not may have to spend time and money trying to get rid of them. It is poisonous to dogs andgets rid of by other plants. JP
Hi,
How do I get rid of this Orange hawkweed has taken over the garden have hardly any grass want to returf the garden but am afraid it will come back as has spread to smaller lawn please advise.
Patricia
A selective lawn herbicide should keep it in check. Contact your local independent lawn care service for professional advice for weed control.
Thanks for reading.
Kris
Thank you.
Patricia
We have this Orange Hawkweed in our garden, we love it, one of the stems has 24 flower heads.
I particularly love the dramatic contrast between the black back of the flower and its lovely deep burnt orange colour. Plus the bees and butterflies adore it.
We all need to help our pollinators along and re-wilding a bit of the garden is a good start. Orange Hawkweed is my favourite wild flower and I am really pleased to see ot.
Must admit that I like it because of its nectar qualities for flying wildlife. I’m with you, Kris, in that plants are only weeds if in the wrong place. On a similar note, I moved some yellow geums from pathways (trip hazard) and they have self-seeded freely. So I take the same approach with both plants, and move surplus ones to other places.
Hawkweed is a pest which, in many countries, particularly USA, is often invasive to the point of requiring quarantine (i.e. Washington state). I don’t know anyone who would want hawkweed, not even one single stalk, in their garden. Unless you want a sea of yellow in your garden IMO hawkweed is best eliminated at first sighting. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Thankfully, Britain is very different to the USA. Orange Hawkweed in the UK is considered a valuable plant for pollinators and other wildlife and is even sold by many nurseries through the RHS Website.
Thanks for reading.
Kris
I have a wild garden in Surrey on chalk and a wild meadow nearby. The orange hawkweed has begun to take over and is dominating everything in May. In an area of 2 acres I have pulled out over 2,000 plants of which most come out with their carrot shaped root especially if they are large and mature. The small ones often break off leaving the root. If i pull out every plant before they seed will that make a difference. I have notice that the weed is strongest on the west side of hedges and other barriers so I am assuming it is mostly propagated by blown seed. Other plants in quantity in this area mostly in flower now are the Ox-eye daisy, the cow slip (over), the tall buttercup, the yellow rattle, the cow slip, the hog weed (not yet in flower) and a tall spike single yellow dandelion style flower.
Am I doing the right thing?
Hi Robert,
By pulling out adult plants you will be reducing the populations of hawkweed, obviously.
You do ask if you are doing the right thing, but do not say what you are trying to achieve! The flowering species of plants in wildflower meadows do come in waves naturally. One plant will flower one month, then another the next so naturally you will find a lot of one plant at any one time. Why do you particularly not want the hawkweed in your wildflower meadow?
I’m not sure I understand what you are asking I’m afraid.
Thanks for reading.
Regards
Kris
I found the orange hawkweed on the front step of my house in between the slabs and the steps. I liked it very much and decided to dig it up and put it in a pot although I didn’t think I would get it out but I have learned through your website that it only has short roots. A bit disappointed that it is a weed but I wondered if it would be best kept in a pot in view of the fact that it is invasive. It is a really lovely burnt orange colour.
Hi Carol,
A weed is only a plant in the wrong place. It would certainly be easier to keep in a pot, however it may still sow seeds around your garden, so keep an eye on it and control it if it starts to get out of hand.
I agree, it is a lovely flower.
Thanks for reading.
Kris
Planted it deliberately as it is said to be good in sandy soil. They were not wrong. It can be very invasive and very fertile from wind blown seeds. I am having a real battle over several years to eradicate it. Keeps popping up from little shots of root or runner or in unexpected places from wind blown seed that I on allowed to mature. The only good thing is the orange flowers give its position in the border away.. For attention.
We found this for the first time in our front garden this year. It id a beautiful burnt orange and we have noticed it is now coming up more. Do we have to pull it up or can we let it grow free.
Yours faithfully
Jacqueline Bell
Salford, Manchester
Great Britain.
If you like it, leave it alone. A weed is only a plant in the wrong place.
Orange Hawkweed (aka Fox and Cubs or Devil’s Paintbrush) was introduced into UK from Europe in 17th Century as a garden plant but has since run wild. Very pretty indeed but needs to be controlled or is very invasive and hard to eliminate once established. I try to confine them to the borders and dig up any sprouting from the lawn.