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Hypochaeris radicata
Also called Cat's Ear, Flatweed, Catsear, Spotted Cat's Ear, Common Cat's Ear, Flat Weed, Rough Cat's Ear
Hairy cat's ear is a low-growing perennial weed of lawns and grassland, forming a rosette of hairy lobed leaves with bright yellow dandelion-like flowers. It thrives in open, sunny sites and is invasive in many regions.
Hypochaeris radicata, phonetically hy-poh-KAIR-iss rad-ee-KAY-tuh, is sometimes spelled Hypochoeris radicata and known as catsear, flatweed, cat's-ear, hairy cat's ear, or false dandelion. It is a perennial, low-lying edible herb often found in lawns. H. radicata has been used for both food and medinicinal purposes.
The plant is native to Europe, but has also been introduced to the Americas, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, where it can be an invasive weed. It is listed as a harmful, noxious weed by the Korean Ministry of Environment and in the northwestern U.S. state of Washington.
This species is associated with stringhalt in horses and donkeys if consumed in excess, the exact etiology unknown; otherwise non-poisonous and no contact dermatitis association.
H. radicata is native from Europe to Caucasus, and in North Africa. It has been introduced in S and SE Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Pacific islands, S and SE Africa, and North and South America. Its range has been reported from Tasmania, 42°S Lat., to Scandinavia, near 63°N; at elevations from sea-level to 1,676 meters (5,499 ft) in Colorado and 4,500 meters (14,800 ft) in Columbia's Andean Mountain Range.
All parts of the catsear plant are edible; however, the leaves and roots are those most often harvested. The leaves are bland in taste but can be eaten raw in salads, steamed, or used in stir-fries. Some recommend mixing them with other vegetables. Older leaves can become tough and fibrous, but younger leaves are suitable for consumption. In contrast to the edible leaves of dandelion, catsear leaves only rarely have some bitterness. In Crete, Greece, the leaves of a variety called παχιές (pachiés) or αγριοράδικα (agriorádika) are eaten boiled or steamed.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Hypochaeris radicata by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
