Orange hawkweed

Orange hawkweed is not currently present in the ACT but it is considered a major threat to the territory due to infestations in the nearby Australian Alps.

About the pest

Orange hawkweed (Pilosella aurantiaca) is known for aggressive spreading, particularly in cool-temperate climates. It is able to invade intact native vegetation as well as establishing in disturbed sites.

Why it is a problem

Orange hawkweed is particularly problematic because it reproduces aggressively, forming dense, impenetrable mats that smother native plants, native grasses, and pastures and farmland.

What to look for

• Orange hawkweed is a hairy herb with circular, ground-hugging cluster of leaves that radiate from the very base of a plant's stem. Leaves lack an obvious stalk and both surfaces have fine, spreading hairs about 4 mm long.
• When broken, its stems and leaves exude a milky sap.
• Its flower heads are quite densely clustered at the end of an erect leafless stem and consist of several rows of bright reddish-orange florets.

How it spreads

Individual plants spread via leafy shoots (stolons) which take root and produce new leaf tufts. It also spreads through seed dispersion (via the wind) over larger areas.

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