Coastal BC Plants: White-Flowered Hawkweed

White-Flowered Hawkweed

White-Flowered Hawkweed along a logging road.

In logging road cuts and old log dumps I found lots of low growing plants with hairy, basal leaves arrayed in a circle flat on the ground. At first I only saw the basal leaves, but in another road cut I found evidence of a tall stalk topped with a few remaining flowers and seed heads.

White-Flowered Hawkweed (Hieracium albiflorum) is a perennial herb with a milky juice, similar to milkweed. Hawkweed grows in closely spaced groups from fibrous roots that reach down into dry rocky soil to obtain enough moisture.

Hawkweed flowers and seeds.

Hawkweed can be found in low to middle elevations. In addition to roadsides and clearings, it grows in open forest areas and dry meadows.

The flowers and seed heads look something like tiny dandelions, except the petals are white and the centers are yellow. There’s a resemblance because both are members of the Aster family. -- Margy

References: Plants of Coastal British Columbia by Jim Pojar and Andy MacKinnon (Lone Pine Publishing, 1994) and E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Flora of British Columbia (online).