IDENTIFICATION
Regional Noxious. Perennial.
Orange hawkweed is easy to recognize with its vibrant orange flowers
clustered at the top of stems covered in stiff black hairs. The leaves,
long and oval-shaped, cluster at the base of the fibrous stems. Orange
hawkweed has above ground runners, grows to 0.6 metres tall, and contains
a milky juice. This plant is also called "devil's paintbrush."
DAMAGE
Its full impact on agricultural crops is as yet unknown in British Columbia,
but it does replace forage plants on pastures. Its rapid spread is a cause
for concern.
HABITAT
In British Columbia, orange hawkweed grows at low- to mid-elevations,
usually in open areas such as pastures, meadows, clearings, roadsides,
and disturbed
sites. It is regarded as a major concern in the Kootenay, Okanagan,
Thompson, Cariboo, Omineca, and Peace agricultural regions.
SPREAD
This plant is believed to be spread primarily by recreationists, pack
animals, and hay. Although seeds are plumed, they are not widely dispersed
by wind.
