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Mouse-ear Hawkweed flowers. Photo Credit: Janie Marlow, NameThatPlant.net, Bugwood.org -
Photo Credit: Davide Nicholls, naturespot.org.uk -
Mouse-ear hawkweed . Photo Credit: Janie Marlow, NameThatPlant.net, Bugwood.org -
Photo Credit: Janie Marlow, NameThatPlant.net, Bugwood.org -
Mouse-ear Hawkweed seeds. Photo Credit: Janie Marlow, NameThatPlant.net, Bugwood.org
Also known as: Mouseear hawkweed
Mouse-ear hawkweed is a low growing perennial with distinctive fuzzy leaves. While more common in Western Washington state, one infestation has been identified in neighboring Yamhill County.
Description:
Life Cycle: | Perennial (life cycle lasts more than one year) |
Early Detection and Rapid Response species: | Yes |
Height: | Up to 20 inches (51 centimeters) tall when flowering. |
Leaf Description: | Distinctive fuzzy leaves are dark green and oblong. |
Fruit & Flower Description: | Yellow flowers grow on short, leafless stalks which are covered with stiff dark hairs. The underside of its petals often have a red stripe. The flowers and seeds resemble those of dandelions. |
Bloom Time: | June to August |
Habitat:
- Mouse-ear hawkweed does not grow well in shady conditions.
- It prefers to grow in open grassy areas such as fields, meadows, pastures, forest clearings, and along roads.
Impact:
- It releases chemicals that prevent surrounding plants from growing.
- It produces thick mats that displace desirable pasture species and thrives in over-grazed pastures.
What you can do about it:
- If you think you’ve found mouse-ear hawkweed anywhere in Oregon, please report it to the Oregon Invasive Species Hotline.
- Do not mow mouse-ear hawkweed flowers, this only stimulates the plant to re-grow.
- If there are only a few plants, hand digging is an effective option, but the entire plant must be removed. Once removed, throw away the plant parts in a plastic bag in the trash— not your yard waste bin or home compost.
Look-alikes:

Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale) produce similar looking flowers to mouse-ear hawkweed. Dandelions leaves are more deeply cut and do not have fuzzy leaves.
Noxious Weed Listing:
State of Oregon: | Class A |
State of Washington: | Class B |
More Resources:
Download the Mouse-ear Hawkweed Best Management Practices Factsheet
- Pacific Northwest Weed Management Handbook: Mouseear hawkweed
- University of California, Weed Research & Information Center: Hawkweeds