Bristly-ox tongue Helminthotheca echioides
Table of Contents
Bristly-ox tongue is not the most attractive plant you will stumble upon, it certainly won’t win any awards for its beauty or looks, but it supplies rich source of food for pollinators including bees and hoverflies.
Plant family: Asteraceae
Aliases: Ox-tongue, bitter-weed, ragweed
Flowering period: June – November
Flower color: yellow
Preferred soil type: Most types
Habitat: Grassland, disturbed ground, waste areas
Status: Common
General information
A robust annual or biennial wildflower, growing to a height of up to 80 cm. It will grow in all types of soil, particularly calcareous soils and can be found in disturbed ground, grassland, waste areas and occasionally turf. It’s similar in appearance to sow thistle and most dandelion like plants, such as catsear and hawkbit.
This plant, which is a member of the daisy family (Asteraceae), takes its name from the coarse bristles covering the majority of the plant and pale thorny pimples covering the surface of the leaves, giving it a very rough, bristly texture when handled or touched.
Identification
Flowers: The yellow flowers are very similar to dandelion, catsear, hawkbit and hawksbeard. They are made up of central disc florets with out ray florets. The flowers measure 25 – 30mm in diameter forming in clusters on the bristly stems.
Leaves: The leaves, which are similar to those of wild teasel are 10 – 20cm in length, the basal leaves are oblong, narrowing into the stalk, upper leaves are narrower and shorter, clasping the stem.
All leaves are covered with pimples and fine, hooked bristles (see above image), the leaf margins are sometimes wavy and have irregularly spaced teeth.
Value for wildlife
Bristly-ox tongue are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by bees and hoverflies, which feed on its rich source of pollen and nectar.
Uses for bristly-ox tongue
The young leaves of bristly-ox tongue are edible but have a very bitter taste, however, they are slightly more palatable when cooked.
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