King Devil
Hieracium pratense
Family Asteraceae

Characteristics:
* In the hawkweed family. Flower coarse, hairy, yellow.
* Stems bristly, covered with blackish hairs.
* Leaves hairy on both sides.
* Height: 1-5'.

Natural History:
* Flowers May - August.
* Habitat: Fields, roadsides.
* Range: Eastern Canada to northeastern United States, south in the mountains.
* Introduced from Europe.

Connections!
* For a time, King Devil and other European hawkweeds were used as an herbal remedy for healing eyesight. Pliny reported, in ancient Greece, that hawks ate it to see better.

 

   

Created by: Niki Zhou and Carla Holleran
Maintained by: Nick Rodenhouse
Created: June 25, 2004
Last Modified: August 7, 2004
Expries: June 1, 2005