Crepis capillaris
Hawksbeard
(c) Jacqui Geux, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Jacqui Geux · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Not Native
Crepis capillaris (Hawksbeard) is a non-native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by small fruits, black bristles on bracts, and weedy annual habit.
Hawksbeard is a naturalized annual found in northwestern California, the California Ranges, northern Sierra Nevada, central coastal California, San Francisco Bay Area, and southern coastal California in disturbed places and pastures at elevations below 1,300 meters. Flowering from May to November, this plant produces yellow flowers in compact clusters of 10 to 15 heads. Growing with decumbent to erect stems 10 to 90 centimeters tall, it has short hairs primarily on the lower stem sections. Its leaves are oblanceolate, pinnately divided with remote, unequal lanceolate lobes that can reach 5 to 30 centimeters long. The fruit is a small brown-yellow seed with white, fluffy bristles that help wind dispersal.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 17 sympatric species; distinguished by small fruits, black bristles on bracts, and weedy annual habit
Habitat and range
Habitat: Weed in pastures, disturbed places
Elevation: < 1300 m
Outside California: much of United States and Canada, native to Europe
Bloom period
Crepis capillaris blooms May-Nov.
How to tell it apart
vs Hypochaeris: Hypochaeris has mostly leafless stems with tiny bracts; Crepis has well-developed leaves up the stem.; vs Taraxacum: Taraxacum has all leaves basal with leafless stems; Crepis has leaves ascending the branched stem.; vs Agoseris: Agoseris has leafless flower stems from basal rosettes; Crepis has leafy branched stems.; vs Sonchus: Sonchus has clasping stem leaves with spiny margins; Crepis leaves are typically not clasping or spiny.; vs Helminthotheca: Helminthotheca has bristly leaves and bracts; Crepis typically lacks the dense bristly covering.
Frequently asked questions
Is Crepis capillaris native to California?
No. Crepis capillaris is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Crepis capillaris bloom?
Crepis capillaris blooms May-Nov.
What plant family does Crepis capillaris belong to?
Crepis capillaris is in the Asteraceae family, genus Crepis.
What habitat does Crepis capillaris grow in?
Crepis capillaris grows in Weed in pastures, disturbed places.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.