Pilosella officinarum   Mouse-ear-hawkweed CCC DD N

Pilosella officinarum whole Pilosella officinarum close

This is quite a common yellow composite and unusually it is easy to identify. It is quite small only reaching 15 cm tall at the most and has lemon yellow flowers. The distinctive feature is the long hairs on upper surface of the leaves which are supposed to make them look like a mouse's ear. As with P. aurantiaca (Fox-and-cubs) it reproduces by seed or vegetatively by stolons.

P. officinarum is found throughout the British Isles and Ireland.

LHS: Wall in Uley Gloucestershire, 12th August 2006 RHS: Banks of River Inny, Ireland, 8th October 2004

Added on January 3rd 2005, updated 19th June 2011

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