128. Hairy Cat's-ear

June 9-15 was BC Invasive Species Week, so we decided to  highlight a few more of the non-native invasive species found here at Leaning Oaks.  Hairy Cat's-ear ( Hypochaeris radicata ) is a yellow flowered perennial with a more or less flat basal rosette with a   leafless, branched flowering stem.  Flowers are superficially Dandelion-like (see 91), hence another common name of False Dandelion.  Unlike Dandelion, the stems are solid and not hollow.  It is a common weed of lawns, cracks in pavement and disturbed areas.  Like dandelions the seeds are spread by the wind.    The leaves are supposed to be hairy like the hair on a cat's ear.  I clearly have not looked at enough cat's ears to see the resemblance. 

And, just in; "the flowers of this weed are an important spring food for black bears on Vancouver Island". Thanks Helen! Maybe we'll get bears....