Description
Pyrrhopappus pauciflorus | Small-flower Chicory
Small-flower Chicory, also known as False Texas Dandelion and Texas Dandelion, is a native annual wildflower to the Southern US states. It has lanceolate, lobed-leaves that form a basal rosette at the base of the plant, when then produces solitary flowers heads at the end of slender stalks. Each flower head is composed of many yellow ray florets that surround dark anthers in the center, with the underside of the flowers showing several light-tan colored rays. The flower heads open in the morning, and close in the evening. The flowers are abundant on a single plant, having 30 or more flower heads simultaneously, and they are not all that small in size, being larger than a common dandelion. The inflorescences contain a milky sap.
Various pollinators visit dandelion flowers, particularly early on in the year when almost nothing else is blooming. Honey bees, mason bees, flies, ants, and others.
Type: Annual
Sun exposure: Full sun to part shade
Mature height: 20-32 inches
Mature width: 12-20 inches
Hardiness zones: 8-11
