Beaked hawksbeard (Crepis vesicaria)

Family: Asteraceae or Compositae | Edibility: Edible (1/5)

Crepis vesicaria is a BIENNIAL growing to 0.8 m (2ft 7in). It is in flower from May to July, and the seeds ripen from June to August. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soils.

Edible Parts & Harvest Seasons

Edible Parts: Leaves

Harvest Seasons: Early Summer, Spring

Flavor & Culinary Uses

Leaves - raw. Used in salads, they have a bitter taste. — Used in salads, they have a bitter taste.

Habitat & North American Range

Waysides, walls, railway banks and waste places, especially in calcareous soils, to 150 metres. (Zone 4, Zone 5, Zone 6, Zone 7, Zone 8)