Cat's Ear is a perennial weed from Eurasia in the aster family. It has naturalized on every continent except Antarctica. It has a long taproot and a basal rosette of leaves. The flowers are often mistaken for dandelions as they both form wind-borne seeds. It is found in lawns, fields, roadsides, meadows, pastures, lawns and other disturbed areas. In natural areas that have not been disturbed, this invasive plant is not typically observed. Cat's Ear tolerates a wide range of conditions and readily grows in most soil types but is not usually found in wetlands. It produces many seeds per plant per year and each seed can become a mature plant in 2 months. It is considered invasive in some areas. In addition to reseeding itself, offsets can form. In some locations it has displaced native species and reduced the productivity of pasture lands. Although a problem for horses, the plants shoots are often eaten by both wild and domesticated animals. Growing from a thick taproot, each plant can have from 1 to 15 stems that arise from a woody caudex. They are erect and typically branched but leafless. In order to distinguish this plant from others in the Aster family, there are a few distinguishing factors, such as hairy basal leaves, achenes that have long beaks that end with tufts of hairs (white), the flower stalks are typically branched and have alternate leaves, and the flowers bracts form in an overlapping fashion. The most efficient form of eradication is by removal of the plant below the crown in early spring. All parts of this plant are considered to be edible, however, typically the leaves and roots are usually harvested for consumption. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious issues.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt)
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
High
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping; Erect
Texture
Medium
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate; Rosulate
Leaf shape
Oblanceolate; Pinnatifid
Leaf margin
Dentate; Lobed
Leaf feel
Rough
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
The leaves form as a basal rosette of dissected, densely hairy leaves up to 6 inches long and 2 inches across. The rosette span an area of 1' across. A central vein that runs the length of the underside of each leaf. In addition to the basal leaves, a few leaves may grow from the flowering stalks. The foliage, as well as the stems contain a milky latex.
Flower color
Gold/Yellow
Flower value
Long Bloom Season; Showy
Flower form
Head
Flower shape
Star
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
The pale yellow flowers each have from 20 to 30 rays and green bracts at the base. The tips of the petals have 5 small teeth along the outer edge. Blooms mid-summer to early fall.
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit color
Brown/Copper; Orange
Fruit type
Achene
Fruit detail
Seeds have a tuft of white hair that float with the wind.
Stem detail
The erect stems are smooth, wiry and milky.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Europe to Caucasus
Wildlife value
Several varieties of bees frequent the flowers, as well as White and Sulfur butterflies.
Attracts
Bees; Butterflies
Play value
Attracts Pollinators
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Leaves; Roots
Fruit type
Achene
Edibility
Leaves can be eaten in salads or cooked in stir-fries. The roots can be roasted and ground for a coffee substitute.