My orange flowers may seem pretty at first,
But my rapid spread is really a curse,
In clearings, meadows, roads, and pastures,
I decrease biodiversity, what a disaster!
Orange Hawkweed (Hieracium aurantiacum L.) is one of 14 non-native species of hawkweed in BC. Native to Europe, this fast-spreading perennial has made its way around North America. Unlike many native wildflowers, Orange Hawkweed spreads by runners and rhizomes and seeds, which can travel long distances on animals, boots, and tires. Its effective reproduction, tolerance of low nutrient soils, and short growing season, combined with a lack of natural predators, aid in the invasion of our sensitive ecosystems such as subalpine meadows. You may also see infestations taking over roadsides, pastures, clearings, and other open, disturbed sites.
Orange Hawkweed is easy to spot by its bright orange, dandelion-like flowers. Be careful with your identification, as this invasive has a native lookalike, Orange Agoseris (Agoseris aurantiaca). An easy way to differentiate these orange flowers is that Orange Hawkweed often has a cluster of flowers at the end of a stem whereas Orange Agoseris only has one.
Orange Hawkweed can also be spotted by its tight clusters of black, hairy buds on its hairy stems. The leaves are also hairy and usually grow in a rosette around the base of the stem. All parts of the plant exude a milky sap when cut.
Orange Hawkweed forms dense mats that outcompete native species, leading to a drastic change in vegetation, loss of forage for stock, and loss of biodiversity. In addition, it crowds out desirable forage plants and therefore can reduce agricultural productivity, as well as decrease land values.
Unfortunately, controlling Orange Hawkweed can be extremely challenging. Physical removal rarely succeeds as the fragments of roots and runners quickly regrow.
As always, prevention is key! For those who like exploring the alpine for their weekend adventures, it is important to clean boots and gear to prevent spreading seeds and vegetative parts of this invasive into the sensitive alpine ecosystem.
While SSISC only strategically controls populations encroaching on valuable land in Squamish and Pemberton, our goal is to contain infestations in Whistler. So, next time you spot Orange Hawkweed, report it here!
I Spy in the Sea to Sky Contest
It’s your last month to guess the invasive species in our I Spy in the Sea to Sky weekly social media post, to enter the giveaway. At the end of each month, one lucky commenter will win a Native Wildflower seed mix packet!
Contest Rules:
- Comment your guess (common name or species name) on either Facebook or Instagram post to enter
- One entry per person per post
- Anyone can play, but only residents of the Sea to Sky region are eligible to win (as prizes will be delivered)
- Content entries will close at 11:59 PM PST on the last day of the month
- Winners will be announced in the first week of the following month on the SSISC Instagram story and contacted via their platform of entry
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