Allegheny hawkweed facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Allegheny hawkweed |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Hieracium
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| Species: |
paniculatum
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The Allegheny hawkweed, also known by its scientific name Hieracium paniculatum, is a fascinating plant found in North America. It belongs to the dandelion tribe, which is part of the larger sunflower family. This means it's related to common plants like dandelions and sunflowers!
You can find the Allegheny hawkweed growing in the eastern parts of the United States and Canada. Its range stretches from Nova Scotia in the east, all the way west to Ontario, Michigan, and Indiana. It also grows south into Georgia.
What Does Allegheny Hawkweed Look Like?
Size and Leaves
The Allegheny hawkweed is an herb that can grow quite tall. It often reaches up to about 90 centimeters (or 3 feet) in height. Most of its leaves grow directly on the stem. You might find just a few leaves in a rosette (a circular cluster) at the very bottom of the plant.
The leaves themselves can be up to 150 millimeters (about 6 inches) long. Sometimes, their edges have small teeth, which gives them a slightly jagged look.
Flowers and Appearance
One single Allegheny hawkweed plant can produce many flower heads. Sometimes, it can have as many as 50 flowers! These flowers usually grow in a flat-topped cluster, making them easy to spot.
Each flower head has between 8 and 30 bright yellow "ray flowers." These are the petal-like parts you see on the outside of a daisy or sunflower. Interestingly, this plant does not have "disc flowers," which are the tiny flowers found in the center of some flower heads.
