Yellow fox-and-cubs (Pilosella caespitosa, Watsonia 6: 314 (1967))

Family: Asteraceae

Author: (Dumort.) P.D.Sell & C.West

Bibliography: Watsonia 6: 314 (1967)

Year: 1967

Status: accepted

Rank: species

Genus: Pilosella

Vegetable: False

Observations: Europe to C. Siberia and Caucasus

Description

Yellow fox-and-cubs, known scientifically as Pilosella caespitosa, is a flowering perennial belonging to the Asteraceae family. This resilient plant captures attention with its distinctive clusters of vibrant yellow flowers, which resemble small fox heads peeking through the green foliage, hence the charming common name.

The species was officially categorized in Watsonia’s publication in 1967, credited to the botanical expertise of Dumort., P.D. Sell, and C. West. Known for its extensive reach, yellow fox-and-cubs is native to Europe but has successfully naturalized in regions extending through Central Siberia and the Caucasus. The plant’s adaptability to various climates makes it a common sight in meadows, grassy banks, and along roadsides.

Pilosella caespitosa thrives in sunny locations with well-drained soil, where it can often form dense mats through its vigorous rhizomatous root system. The bright yellow blooms, typically appearing from late spring to early autumn, are not only an aesthetic delight but also serve as an essential nectar source for bees and other pollinators.

The plant’s ability to spread rapidly and cover large areas has its pros and cons. While it can create splendid yellow carpets across the landscape, it also has the potential to outcompete native flora, making it a species of concern in some ecological settings. Regardless, its cheerful appearance and ecological importance to pollinators secure Pilosella caespitosa a noticeable niche in the tapestry of wild plants.

Common Names

Est: aas-karutubakas
Lav: ciņu pamauraga
Pol: jastrzębiec łąkowy
Eng: king-devil, yellow fox-and-cubs, yellow hawkweed, yellow king-devil, meadow hawkweed, field hawkweed, yellow king devil
Lit: pievinė kudlė
Ita: sparviere palustre
Deu: wiesen-habichtskraut, wiesen-mausohrhabichtskraut
Fra: épervière des prairies, épervière des prés
Ukr: нечуйвiтер лучний, нечуйвiтер судетський
Bul: отклоненочетинеста румянка
Nld: weidehavikskruid
Cym: clust-y-llygoden siobynnog
Nob: tett plensveve
Nno: tett plensvæve
En: Yellow Fox-and-cubs, King-devil, Yellow hawkweed, Yellow king-devil, Meadow hawkweed, Field hawkweed, Yellow king devil, Hellow Fox-and-cubs
Bg: Отклоненочетинеста румянка
Nl: Weidehavikskruid
Et: Aas-karutubakas
Fr: Épervière des prairies, Épervière des prés, Piloselle cespiteuse, Piloselle des prairies, Piloselle gazonnante, Épervière cespiteuse, Épervière gazonnante
De: Wiesen-Habichtskraut, Wiesen-Mausohrhabichtskraut
It: Sparviere palustre
Lv: Ciņu pamauraga
Lt: Pievinė kudlė
Nb: Tett plensveve
Nn: Tett plensvæve
Pl: Jastrzębiec łąkowy
Uk: Нечуйвiтер лучний, Нечуйвiтер судетський
Cy: Clust-y-Llygoden Siobynnog

Synonyms

• Hieracium caespitosum (Dumort.)

Distribution

• Altay (native)
• Austria (native)
• Baltic States (native)
• Belarus (native)
• Belgium (native)
• Bulgaria (native)
• Central European Rus (native)
• Czechoslovakia (native)
• Denmark (native)
• East European Russia (native)
• Finland (native)
• France (native)
• Germany (native)
• Great Britain (native)
• Hungary (native)
• Ireland (native)
• Italy (native)
• Kazakhstan (native)
• Krasnoyarsk (native)
• Netherlands (native)
• North European Russi (native)
• Northwest European R (native)
• Norway (native)
• Poland (native)
• Romania (native)
• Sweden (native)
• Switzerland (native)
• Transcaucasus (native)
• Ukraine (native)
• West Siberia (native)
• Yugoslavia (native)
• British Columbia (introduced)
• Connecticut (introduced)
• Delaware (introduced)
• District of Columbia (introduced)
• Georgia (introduced)
• Idaho (introduced)
• Illinois (introduced)
• Indiana (introduced)
• Kentucky (introduced)
• Korea (introduced)
• Labrador (introduced)
• Maine (introduced)
• Manitoba (introduced)
• Maryland (introduced)
• Masachusettes (introduced)
• Michigan (introduced)
• Minnesota (introduced)
• Montana (introduced)
• New Brunswick (introduced)
• New Hampshire (introduced)
• New Jersey (introduced)
• New York (introduced)
• Newfoundland (introduced)
• North Carolina (introduced)
• Nova Scotia (introduced)
• Ohio (introduced)
• Ontario (introduced)
• Oregon (introduced)
• Pennsylvania (introduced)
• Prince Edward I. (introduced)
• Québec (introduced)
• Rhode I. (introduced)
• South Carolina (introduced)
• Tennessee (introduced)
• Vermont (introduced)
• Virginia (introduced)
• Washington (introduced)
• West Virginia (introduced)
• Wisconsin (introduced)
• Wyoming (introduced)

Additional Images

Habit

Taken Aug 15, 2010 by Photoflora – Jean-Luc TASSET (©)

Taken May 15, 2005 by Photoflora – Jean-Marc TISON (©)

Taken May 15, 2005 by Photoflora – Jean-Marc TISON (©)

Taken May 29, 2021 by Ieg (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 19, 2022 by Andrzej Konstantynowicz (cc-by-sa)

Flower

Taken Jun 13, 2022 by Rhönöih64 (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 20, 2012 by Tela Botanica − Liliane Roubaudi (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 23, 2022 by Peter Schweiger (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 5, 2022 by William Coville (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 19, 2022 by Andrzej Konstantynowicz (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Taken Jun 4, 2021 by Catarina Lanzilotta-Moore (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 20, 2012 by Tela Botanica − Liliane Roubaudi (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 17, 2021 by chance dees (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 29, 2021 by Ieg (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 4, 2021 by Johann Eggenhofer (cc-by-sa)

Other

Taken Jun 4, 2022 by Petr Harant (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 15, 2005 by Photoflora – Jean-Marc TISON (©)

Taken Jun 11, 2020 by Мисник Мирослава (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 1, 1970 by Photoflora – L’Abbé COSTE (©)

Fruit

Taken May 21, 2021 by Савченко Никита (cc-by-sa)

Bark

Taken May 20, 2012 by Tela Botanica − Liliane Roubaudi (cc-by-sa)

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Sources

• WFO (No URL)
• IPNI (No URL)
• GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/3123663)
• POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:238026-1)
• PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Pilosella caespitosa (Dumort.) P.D.Sell & C.West)

Specifications

Growth habit: Forb/herb

Growth

Ph maximum: 7.5

Ph minimum: 7.0

Light: 8

Atmospheric humidity: 7

Bloom months: [‘jun’, ‘jul’, ‘aug’]

Soil nutriments: 3