Edge/ Glaucous Hawkweed

COMMON NAME: Glaucous Hawkweed

OTHER COMMON NAME(S): Smooth Toothed Hawkweed, Smoothish Hawkweed

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Hieracium floribundum

FAMILY: Asterasceae

COMMUNITY: Edge

STATUS: Native

LIFESPAN: Perennial

HEIGHT: 8 to 24 inches

FLOWERING TIME: June to late July

FRUITING TIME:

DISTRIBUTION: Maine to New Jersey and Pennsylvania ~ Most common in Northern New Jersey ~ Often a weed

IDENTIFYING CHARACTERISTICS: Leaves, basal and on stem, smooth on upper side, gray green or blue green ~ Flower whitish, flower stalk has glands and hairs ~ Long rhizome

GENERAL INFORMATION: This large family (Asteraceae), commonly called the Aster Family, consists of 1,314 genera and 21,000 species of herbs, shrubs, climbers and a few trees is found chiefly in temperate and subtropical regions.  The plants are of value to man as ornamentals; a few are insecticides and fish poisons. Hawkweed comes from the Greek hierax meaning “hawk”’ Pliny reported that hawks ate the plant to sharpen their eyesight.  The common name “glaucous” means grayish green or blueish green and comes from the Latin glaucus or the Greek glaukos meaning “gleaming, bluish green or gray”. Glaucous Hawkweed can be found in meadows, roadsides and fields. Another plant in the genus, Rattlesnake-Weed (Hieracium venosum) was considered by Native Americans to been an infallible cure for the bite of rattle-snakes.  They chewed the leaves and applied them to the wound.

Please note: While harvesting wild berries/fruit is permitted at Island Beach State Park, visitors must adhere to park regulations at all times and must not damage vegetation or go off designated trails.  This information is presented for educational purposes.