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Hairy Cat's Ear, False Dandelion - Hypochaeris radicata


Family: Asteraceae - Aster family Genus Common Name: Cat's Ear Native Status: Introduced
Hypochaeris radicata - Hairy Cat's Ear, False Dandelion. Yellow aster with blooms at the end of smooth stem, rising from a floret of hairy dandelion-like basal leaves. Other common names are common cat's-ear, false dandelion, frogbit, gosmore, and spotted catsear.
Hypochaeris radicata

Distribution of Hypochaeris radicata in the United States and Canada:
USDA Map temporarily unavailable.
Blue=Native; Grey=Introduced

Map from USDA Plants Database:
USDA, NRCS. 2017. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 16 Jan 2025). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA.

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Site: Walker County, Ga Date: 2009-July-13Photographer: Gerald C Williamson
Cat's Ear blossoms are similar to those in the genus Krigia and to the Hawkweeds (Hieracium.) All of these are similar to the dandelion, and False Dandelion is another of its common names.
Hypochaeris radicata
Site: Walker County, Ga Date: 2009-July-12Photographer: Gerald C Williamson
The floret of hairy dandelion-like basal leaves is a key identifier for Hypochaeris radicata.
Click on the photo for a larger image
Hypochaeris radicata
Site: Walker County, Ga Date: 2009-July-12Photographer: Gerald C Williamson
The photo shows the scale-like bracts on the blossom at the end of the smooth stem, but I like the little grasshopper even better.
Click on the photo for a larger image
Hypochaeris radicata
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Hypochaeris radicata initially published on USWildflowers.com 2009-07-14; Updated 2015-06-24

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