Catsear (Hypochoeris radicata).

Catsear Weed is also known as Flatweed or False Dandelion due to its close resemblance to Dandelions. We discuss how to remove Catsear from your lawn and turf by cultural and chemical means.

It is toxic to horses and causes stringhalt. 

Catsear is a good sign of well draining soil. More information on turf weeds is in our weed ID chart.

Thanks to The Atlas of Living Australia for the distribiton map of Cats Ear in Australia.

 

After you read this, you will be able to:

• Identify False Dandelion, Catsear Weed or Flatweed .
• Know the habitat of Catsear, Dandelion or Flatweed.
• Know the best cultural and chemical options to control this weed.

False Dandelion is a perennial edible weed. It is present in lawns, low cut turf and road verges.

 

False Dandelion is a low growing weed and has basal rosette of wavy edged leaves. Over these leaves there is a cover of raised stiff, and unbranched hairs.

 

Catsear grows from a thick taproot, and each plant can have from 1 to 15 stems that arise from a woody caudex.  They are erect and typically branched but leafless.

 

 

 

 

 

Category: Broadleaf (Dicot).

 

 

 

 

 

Photosynthetic Pathway: C3 Weed

 

 

 

 

 

Flower: Catsear Weed has bright yellow flowers that produce seeds that spread by the wind.

 

 

 

 

 

Height: False Dandelion grows up to a height of 80 cm.

 

 

 

 

 

Leaf length: The leaves of False Dandelion are 2 to 30 cm long.

 

 

 

 

 

Leaf width: The leaf width is 10 to 40 mm wide.

 

 

 

 

 

Reproduction: Catsear reproduces from seed.

 

 

 

 

 

Comments: Coarse hairs cover the leaves that have toothed edges. It also has milky sap in its stems and the flower heads consist entirely of florets (i.e. they don’t have an ‘eye’ to the flower).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Habitat: False Dandelion prefers bare, thin, wet areas and disturbed soil. It has some degree of salt tolerance, and is a widely distributed weed. It is very common in parks, gardens, paths, lawns, roadsides, disturbed sites, waste areas, crops and pastures.

 

 

 

 

 

You can use cultural and chemical means to remove Catsear Weed from your lawn and turf.

 

 

 

The most efficient form of deal with this weed is to remove the plant below the crown in early Spring. Remove and destroy flower heads before they seed, because if buds or flowers are present when you dig it up, this weed will still seed. Do not compost buds or flowers.

 

Once you remove the crown, the plant cannot grow back.

 

 

 

Grass selection (turf seed or vegetative) also plays an important role in managing this weed. The wrong grass type for your climate or situation and it will struggle, become thin and then create conditions that favour Catsear.

 

 

 

You must also mow at the correct height for your turf. If you mow too low, this favours False Dandelion and stimulates flower growth.

 

 

There are several weed killers that control Catsear Weed. But, you get the best results if you treat this in the Autumn when the plant is young.

 

Suitable products include:

 

 

Non selective options include Glyphosate (Rapid Fire 800), Numchuk Quad and Cortex Duo.

If you use Glyphosate and water quality is an issue then we recommend the use of ProForce Manta Ray.