Species Elegant Hawksbeard
yellow flowers and olive buds with olive-green stems

Elegant Hawksbeard

Askellia elegans

Elegant Hawksbeard (Askellia elegans) is an annual plant native to North America. It has a low-growing, spreading habit and grows up to 4 feet in height. Its flowering period is from late spring to early summer and its delicate, yellow flowers are often seen in meadows and prairies. The flowers are borne singly on slender stems and have a tuft of feathery hairs at the top. Its oblong-shaped leaves are finely divided and light green in color. Elegant Hawksbeard is a hardy and adaptable species, growing in soils of various types and is a popular choice for gardens, providing vertical interest and valuable pollinator forage.

Watering:

Minimal

Propagation:

Seed Propagation,Division,Cutting

Hardiness Zone:

Sun:

full sun,part shade

Leaf:

Yes

Leaf Color:

green

Growth Rate:

Low

Drought Tolerant:

Yes

Salt Tolerant:

Yes

Thorny:

Yes

Invasive:

Yes

Care Level:

Medium

watering

Elegant Hawksbeard should be watered deeply about twice a week during the growing months, roughly from April to October. In the winter, it should be watered occasionally, about every 2 to 3 weeks. When you water, make sure the soil is completely saturated, so you may need to do several short waterings rather than 1 long 1. Avoid waterlogging the soil. During hot, dry weather you may need to water more often. The best way to know when to water is to check the soil. If it is dry to a depth of about 2 inches, it is time to water again.

sunlight

Elegant Hawksbeard prefers full sun to partial shade and blooms best when planted in an area with at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. It is tolerant to a wide variety of soils, though it prefers well-draining, sandy, and loamy soil and should be watered regularly during dry periods to prevent wilting. It does best in a cooler climate and is not particularly tolerant to high temperatures and humidity. Therefore, the optimal amount of sunlight for this plant species is 6-9 hours of direct sunlight per day during cooler months.

pruning

Elegant Hawksbeard should be pruned twice a year, in late winter/early spring and late summer. Pruning should be done lightly, in order to maintain the overall shape of the plant, and without cutting back more than 1 third of the current growth. This will help encourage new growth while preserving the overall natural form of the plant. If dead or damaged branches are present, they should be pruned away as well.