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Asteraceae
Hawkbit
Leontodon autumnalis
Cheerful persistence in humble places.
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Genus
- Leontodon
- Native to
- Europe, Western Asia
- Bloom season
- Summer, Fall
- Type
- herbaceous perennial
- Height
- 10–50 cm
- Sunlight
- full sun
- Soil
- well-drained, meadow soils
- Water
- low to moderate
- Hardiness
- 4–8
- Lifespan
- short-lived perennial
Did you know
- The name 'hawkbit' comes from the old belief that hawks ate the plant to sharpen their eyesight.
- Leontodon means 'lion's tooth' in Greek, a nod to the toothed leaves that resemble dandelion foliage.
- Autumn hawkbit can bloom well into November in mild climates, providing late nectar for pollinators.
- The stems are branched unlike dandelion scapes, which is a key way to tell the two apart.
- Hawkbit is an important food source for hoverflies, whose larvae are voracious aphid predators.
Color meanings
0
simplicity
1
steadfastness
2
meadow joy