Practical
Plants

Leontodon hispidus

Rough Hawkbit

a perennial member of the Leontodon genus in the family Compositae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.45 m
Fertility
Self fertile, Bees, Flies, Beetles, Lepidoptera, Self
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees, Flies, Beetles, Lepidoptera, Self

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Young leaves - raw or cooked[3][1]. Neither the taste nor the texture are by any means wonderful, but the leaves are acceptable raw, particularly since they can be available in the late winter. The roasted root is a coffee substitute[9][10][5].

Product or use
Coffee
Plant part
Leaves

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The herb is diuretic[8]. An infusion is used in the treatment of kidney complaints and as a remedy for dropsy and jaundice[8].

Product or use
Diuretic

Environment

Range
Europe, including Britain, from Scandanavia south and east to Spain, the Caucasus and Iran.
Habitat
Meadows, roadside verges etc, usually on calcareous soils and avoiding shade[3][4].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 6+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay, heavy clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in situ, only just covering the seed. Very fast germination. The seed can also be sown in the spring. If you are short of seed it can be sown in a pot in the cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in early summer.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

An easily grown and tolerant plant[K], it prefers a sunny position in a well-drained soil[6] and does well on clay. A good bee and butterfly plant[2][6], it grows well in the spring meadow[7].

References

  1. Polunin. O. Flowers of Europe - A Field Guide. Oxford University Press 1969-00-00 ISBN 0192176218

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  2. International Bee Research Association. Garden Plants Valuable to Bees. International Bee Research Association. 1981-00-00

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  3. Loewenfeld. C. and Back. P. Britain's Wild Larder. David and Charles ISBN 0-7153-7971-2

    ↩1↩2

  4. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

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  5. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

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  6. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2

  7. Baines. C. Making a Wildlife Garden.

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  8. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩1↩2

  9. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

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  10. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

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