Hawkweed is popular as a perennial and cut flower. The portrait of the small hawkweed and the orange-red hawkweed can be found here.
At first sight and from a distance, the hawkweed (Hieracium) is quickly confused with the dandelion. Especially if it was planted in a flower meadow. But unlike the dandelion, the light yellow, yellow-orange, sometimes even orange-red flower has a special charm. The hawkweed got its name because of its - once attributed - its effect on improving human vision.
The hawkweed, which grows to a height of between 10 and 30 centimeters (depending on the variety), has an extremely long flowering period, which begins in May for most varieties and lasts until October. Depending on the variety, you can use it to create a colorful carpet of flowers from light yellow to red-orange in your garden.
By the way:
The orange-red hawkweed was even given a special honor by being declared a district plant of the Bavarian administrative district of Swabia.
Hawkweed - 2 popular varieties
Hieracium pilosella
| Lesser hawkweed (Hieracium pilosella) | |
|---|---|
| Usage: | as a perennial, cut flower, pot planting |
| Growth: | 100 - 200 cm |
| Growth: | 200 - 300 cm |
| Leaves: | lanceolate, entire, hairy |
| Flowering: | May - September |
| Location: | Sun |
| Floor: | permeable, poor in nutrients, dry, also stony |
Hieracium aurantiacum
| Orange hawkweed (Hieracium aurantiacum) | |
|---|---|
| Usage: | as a perennial, in the rock garden or for planting in containers |
| Growth: | 100 - 300 cm |
| Growth: | 100 - 300 cm |
| Leaves: | lanceolate, entire, hairy |
| Location: | Sun |
| Floor: | permeable, slightly acidic, rocky, poor in nutrients, dry |
Planting Hawkweed
You can grow hawkweed in rock gardens without any problems, as it does well even in extremely dry soil. However, the Hieracium prefers a nutrient-rich soil and spreads more there.
» Tip:
Hieracium is offered in many nurseries at reasonable prices and in a colorful variety of species.
Furthermore, the hardy perennial always needs a location in full sun. Whereby it usually multiplies by itself in the garden bed through falling seeds and root runners. If the small hawkweed is overgrowing, you should definitely dam it accordingly.
» Tip:
You can of course also plant hawkweed in tubs. Accordingly, it is also ideal for balcony plants.
Hawkweed Care
If the Hieracium spreads (grows) too much in a garden bed or on a meadow, you should contain it again quickly (e.g. fight it with a spade) so that it does not become a nuisance. If you pluck off the flowers just before they wither, you will automatically contain a strong growth.
For this reason, in the meantime, even special perennial varieties have been bred in the nurseries, which have so-called sterile flowers (seedless flowers with a shorter flowering period). However, even with these cultivated forms of the hawkweed, the root suckers often spread strongly directly under the ground and also have to be stopped every now and then by turning a spade.
Otherwise, the hawkweed is extremely easy to care for and requires no horticultural work - no watering or fertilizing either!