Common Catsear
Hypochaeris radicata
Washington State Classification
Class C — Widespread, County-Selected Control
Common Catsear is a serious weed in lawns, pastures and waste areas.
Quick Reference
Identification
Growth Habit
Common Catsear is a perennial with rosettes of leaves, a clump of basal leaves, from a woody base. It has upright to somewhat upright stems typically leafless and branched that have a milky juice when broken.
Leaves
The leaves are rough, hairy with lobed or wavy-margins. Leaves are 1.2 to 13.8 inches long by 0.2 to 2.8 inches wide.
Flowers
Flowerheads several at the ends of stems. Flowerheads are dandelion-like, made up of all yellow ray flowers (ligulate), 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter. Each flowerhead has many green bracts its base.
Fruit & Seeds
Seeds with hairy bristles (pappus) on one end to aid with wind dispersal.
Impact
Common Catsear is a serious weed in lawns, pastures and waste areas. It is extremely aggressive in lowland pastures and lawns. It is also thought to be poisonous and is believed to be the cause of Australian Stringhalt in horses. Common catsear was changed from a Class B to a Class C noxious weed in 2013.
Ecology & Spread
Habitat
Common catsear grows in disturbed areas, lawns, roadsides, pastures, waste areas, gardens and seed fields. Please click here to see a county level distribution map of common catsear in Washington.
Spread Mechanisms
Reproduction
Common catsear reproduces by seed, crown and root sections.
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Control Methods
Mechanical
- Scattered plants in lawns can be spaded out below the crown in early spring or as soon as the leaves appear. A badly infested field should be cultivated 1 to 2 years before reseeding.
Cultural / Prevention
- Cultivation (rototilling or hoeing) will effectively eliminate plants. Hand-pull to eliminate weeds. Careful digging is useful to manage weed populations. However, digging can carry undesirable weed seed to the surface and foster further germination.