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Picris hieracioides - L.

Common Name Hawkweed Ox-Tongue
Family Asteraceae or Compositae
USDA hardiness 5-9
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Grassland and waysides on calcareous soils[17].
Range Europe, including Britain, from Scandanavia south and east to Spain, the Balkans, W. and C. Asia.
Edibility Rating    (2 of 5)
Other Uses    (0 of 5)
Weed Potential Yes
Medicinal Rating    (1 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Well drained soil Moist Soil Full sun
Picris hieracioides Hawkweed Ox-Tongue


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Illustration_Picris_hieracioides0.jpg
Picris hieracioides Hawkweed Ox-Tongue
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Sphl

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Picris hieracioides is a BIENNIAL/PERENNIAL growing to 0.9 m (3ft) by 0.3 m (1ft in).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 6 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from July to October, and the seeds ripen from July to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees, flies, Apomictic (reproduce by seeds formed without sexual fusion). The plant is self-fertile.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soils.
It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Plant Habitats

 Meadow; Hedgerow;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves
Edible Uses:

Young leaves - raw or cooked as a pot-herb[2, 4, 105]. Not wonderful raw, they are slightly better cooked[173]. A rather bitter flavour[K].

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Febrifuge

The bitter leaves have been used as a febrifuge[240]. The plant is mixed with Swertia pedicellata and pounded to a paste thn applied to the forehead to treat headaches[272].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

None known

Special Uses

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Prefers a dryish soil but succeeds in most soils[200]. Dislikes shade. Wild plants are an indicator of calcareous soils[200]. Seed is often produced apomictically[17]. Any seedlings from this seed will be genetically identical to the parent plant.

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Fahrenheit:

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The PFAF Bookshop

Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees,Edible Shrubs, Woodland Gardening, and Temperate Food Forest Plants. Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical).

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Plant Propagation

Seed - sow spring in situ, only just covering the seed. Germination should take place quite quickly.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

TEMPERATE ASIA: Syria, Turkey, Russian Federation-Ciscaucasia (Ciscaucasia), Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russian Federation (Dagestan), Russian Federation (Buryatia, Gorno-Altay, Tyva, Respublika, Altay, Krasnoyarsk, Chita, Irkutsk, Kemerovskaja oblast, Kurganskaja oblast, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Tomsk, Tyumen), Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russian Federation (Amur, Habarovskij kraj, Kurile Islands, Primorye, Sakhalin), China (Anhui Sheng, Gansu Sheng, Guizhou Sheng, Hebei Sheng, Heilongjiang Sheng, Henan Sheng, Jilin Sheng, Liaoning Sheng, Nei Mongol Zizhiqu, Qinghai Sheng, Shaanxi Sheng, Shandong Sheng, Shanxi Sheng, Sichuan Sheng, Xinjiang Uygur Zizhiqu, Xizang Zizhiqu, Yunnan Sheng), Korea, Japan (Hokkaidô, Honshu, Kyushu, Shikoku) TROPICAL ASIA: Bhutan, India (Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Meghalaya, Uttar Pradesh), Nepal EUROPE: Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Russian Federation (European part), Belarus, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Moldova, Ukraine (incl. Krym), Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Croatia, Italy (incl. Sicily), North Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, France, Portugal

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Picris echioidesBristly Ox-TongueAnnual/Biennial0.9 5-9  LMHNDM20 

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Expert comment

Author

L.

Botanical References

17

Links / References

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