Fox-and-cubs - Pilosella aurantiaca

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Alternative names
Orange Hawkweed
Description

Short to medium, stoloniferous, blackish-hairy plant. Leaves mostly in a basal rosette. Flowers orange-red 13 to 15 mm in fairly tight clusters.

Identification difficulty
Habitat

Grassy and waste habitats, lawns, cultivated land.

When to see it

June to August.

Life History

Perennial.

UK Status

Widely naturalised in Britain.

VC55 Status

Quite common and probably increasing in Leicestershire and Rutland. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 19 of the 617 tetrads.

  • Graham Calow
    Sapcote
    20 August 2008
  • HAPeacock
    The Orchards
    19 June 2012
  • HAPeacock
    The Orchards
    26 June 2012
  • Graham Calow
    Frolesworth
    10 June 2015
  • Graham Calow
    Frolesworth
    10 June 2015
  • Graham Calow
    Springwell Lane, Whetsone
    01 July 2016

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Species data profile ?

Species profile

Common names
Fox-and-cubs
Species group:
flowering plant
Kingdom:
Plantae
Order:
Asterales
Family:
Asteraceae
Records on NatureSpot:
275
First record:
21/06/2001 (Jane McPhail;John Kramer)
Last record:
19/05/2026 (Pugh, Dylan)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

The latest images and records displayed below include those awaiting verification checks so we cannot guarantee that every identification is correct. Once accepted, the record displays a green tick.

In the Latest Records section, click on the header to sort A-Z, and again to sort Z-A. Use the header boxes to filter the list.

Latest images

Latest records

  • David Nicholls
    Rutland Water
    27 May 2011
  • Graham Calow
    Sapcote
    04 July 2007
  • Graham Calow
    Sapcote
    20 August 2008
  • Graham Calow
    Sapcote
    19 September 2008
  • David Nicholls
    Bagworth Heath
    19 May 2011
  • HAPeacock
    The Orchards
    19 June 2012
  • Graham Calow
    Jubilee Walk, Leire
    02 August 2011
  • HAPeacock
    The Orchards
    19 June 2012
  • HAPeacock
    The Orchards
    26 June 2012
  • Alan Semper
    Harby churchyard
    08 July 2012
  • Alan Semper
    Harby churchyard
    08 July 2012
  • David Nicholls
    Nature Alive, Coalville
    12 July 2012
  • Barbara Cooper
    Long Clawson
    31 August 2012
  • Barbara Cooper
    Long Clawson
    31 August 2012
  • David Nicholls
    Ratby Church
    19 October 2012
  • Graham Calow
    Frolesworth Churchyard
    10 June 2015
  • David Gould
    Wolsey Island, Leicester
    04 June 2015