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Mystery weed
Tater Slater
Posts: 4
Hello, I have recently moved house and it has a lovely big garden, but it has been neglected.All the grass and some borders are now being taken over by mysterious weed. It has a quite flat, broad leaf, and a small orange flower with atall stem. This grows back very quickly after mowing.can anyone please identify it and how can I get rid of it. Thankyou 
0
Posts
Pilosella aurantica, aka. Fox and cubs, aka Orange Hawkbit.
I like it, but it can be a bit rampant. Either dig it out, or weed killer.
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
I think that's Orange Hawkbit. Or 'fox and cubs' - it's a fairly prolific wildflower. I have it as well - I think it must have come in with a plant from a garden centre as there's none growing wild locally.
I pull it up when I see it (and before it sets seed) and so far it's not been too bad but it's still here, so it's obviously pretty invasive.
Maybe one of the more experienced members can advise us both, on a scale of 1 to knotweed, is it a 'normal' weed or is it a 'use every chemical you can lay your hands on now before it destroys your house and eats the dog'?
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Ok thankyou, I've never heard of that, t has taken over quite badly, and a few neighbours have it too. I'm planning on remodelling the garden eventually, so if it's not a 'killer ' weed so to speak, could I spray it all and rotovate it all in ready for re seeding (this is on the grass area) or would I have to dig it out?
Hi Tater Slater. I have it and love it too and it is fairly easy to control so on FG's scale I call it a 1. Wise advice about removing faded flowers before they set seed but it can be dug out without too much effort.
Ha ha FG - you created a wonderful picture in my head of a triffid like beastie eating a dog!
Yes it is quite pretty but there is too much of it! It looks like I have a lot of work ahead of me either way! Many thanks everyone.
It's quite easy to identify and easy to pull out of the lawn. Don't be seduced by its pretty face. It can be quite invasive. I'd give it a 3.5
As you say you have loads of it I would suggest using a weedkiller in the borders that neutralises once it hits the soil, then you are not restricted to planting once the hawkweed has died.
The ones in the lawn could be killed by a selective weedkiller.
Last edited: 30 August 2016 08:50:46
Thankyou everyone for your replies! I have read up a lot of things on the web and have a better knowledge of the plant. ( I do t know why the text is sometimes in bold!)