# orange hawkweed (*Pilosella aurantiaca*) Orange hawkweed is a bright orange flower that grows in sunny places. Its fluffy seed heads look like little balls of cotton when they bloom! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 18 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![orange hawkweed](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Hieracium_aurantiacum_LC0106.jpg&width=800) Photo: Jörg Hempel, CC BY-SA 3.0 de · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hieracium_aurantiacum_LC0106.jpg) ## Appearance The orange hawkweed has vibrant, fiery orange, daisy-like flowers clustered at the top of a hairy stem. Its basal leaves are fuzzy and typically form a rosette close to the ground, making it visually distinct with its vivid color. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Asterales - **Family:** Asteraceae - **Genus:** Pilosella ## Interesting facts - A single hawkweed plant can create thousands of tiny parachute seeds each year! - It's sometimes called 'Devil's Paintbrush' because of its fiery color! - Its bright flowers look like miniature explosions of orange sunshine! - Some people in old Europe once used hawkweed to make bright yellow dyes! ## Special abilities - **Rapid Colonizer:** Orange hawkweed can spread across the ground using special 'runners' to quickly claim new sunny spots and form dense mats. - **Seed Multiplier:** Orange hawkweed can produce seeds without needing pollen from another plant, helping it multiply very fast. - **Fuzzy Shield:** Orange hawkweed has fuzzy leaves and stems that can help protect it from thirsty bugs or grazing animals. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 20-60 cm - **Spread:** 10-30 cm - **Flower Size:** 1.5-2.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to late summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits flowers for nectar and pollen. - **Pollinates:** common eastern bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — An important pollinator, collecting nectar and pollen. - **Eaten by:** potato aphid (*Macrosiphum euphorbiae*) — Sucks sap from the plant's leaves and young shoots. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch flowers without asking an adult first. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify orange hawkweed? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is orange hawkweed? 20-60 cm ### How wide does orange hawkweed spread? 10-30 cm ### How big are the flowers on orange hawkweed? 1.5-2.5 cm ### When does orange hawkweed bloom? Late spring to late summer ### Is orange hawkweed edible? No ### Is orange hawkweed toxic? None ### What is orange hawkweed's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Bear Swamp](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bear-swamp) — Massachusetts, US · Nature Reserve - [Chestnut Street District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chestnut-street-district) — Massachusetts, US · Historic District - [Currier Park Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/currier-park-historic-district) — Vermont, US · Historic District - [Greenfield Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/greenfield-park) — Wisconsin, US · Park - [Kal-Haven Trail](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kal-haven-trail) — Michigan, US · Trail - [Kennebunkport Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kennebunkport-historic-district) — Maine, US · Historic District [View all places to see orange hawkweed](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/orange-hawkweed) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Orange Hawkweed: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/orange-hawkweed)