Hypochaeris radicata

CONTROL

Family: Asteraceae (Sunflower).

Other Common Names: Flat weed, false dandelion, common cat’s ear.

Origin: Mediterranean.

Growth Form / Reproduction: Perennial. Seeds and from crowns and root segments.

Legal Status: None.

Impacts:
Agricultural: Infests pastures reducing productivity. Ingestion of large amounts can result in Australian Stringhalt (lameness) in horses. Can infest legume and seed crops.
Ecological: Common and persistent invasive plant of Garry Oak ecosystems, can displace native plants especially in open areas.
Human: Nuisance plant of lawns.

Habitat: Adapted to a wide range of habitats but does best in open (sunny), disturbed sites. Grows in lawns, pastures, meadows, roadsides, river banks and waste places.

Status and Distribution: Common in most of CIPC area but limited occurrence in Mount Waddington and Powell River Regional Districts.

Management Strategy: Plant is persistent and will return following treatments via airborne seeds, so best to control when it first appears. Small infestations can be hand dug taking care to remove crown. Larger populations can be controlled with either repeated cultivation (plowing) followed by reseeding, or, cultivation followed by solarization (plastic cover on soil). Foliar application of 2,4-D, dicamba and clopyralid can give good control and is best applied when plant is in rosette stage; spot spraying reduces injury to non-target species. No biocontrol agents are available.