Hieracium aurantiacum/Pilosella aurantiacum - Fox-and-cubs - (Asteraceae)

This attractive member of the daisy family makes a wonderful display in summer when it appears on roadside verges and banks, but do not be tempted to encourage this plant to grow in the garden: it is a tenacious weed that spreads and is very difficult to eradicate once it has got a hold. It seems amazing that this flower was first introduced here as a garden plant which has since become so widely naturalised that it occurs almost anywhere in the UK.

Fox and Cubs smother a roadside verge in West Wales

Lovely on the roadside, but murder in the garden!

Other members of the hawkweed group include Common Cat's-ear; there are also many hawkbits and hawksbeards, all of which have dandelion-like flowers. The individual species can often be distinguished by careful study of the leaves.

Fox and Cubs

Fox-and-cubs flowers in June and July making a welcome burst of colour after many of our native wildflowers have died back .

The plants on this page were photographed in West Wales in June.