There are two hawkweeds, a yellow and an orange. The vegetative characteristics are similar, but the color of the flowers is different. Hawkweeds are winter perennials. Hawkweed grows from a basal rosette, forming patches from rhizomes and stolons. The leaves, stems and flower stalks are covered with hair. The leaves are oblong and club shaped. The margins of the hairy leaves are smooth. Hawkweed flowers resemble dandelions, but are smaller and appear several weeks after dandelions. The flowers form in clusters. Hawkweed is found throughout the eastern United States.
Hawkweed appears differently if the turf is thick or thin. It will appear in clusters when the turf is thin and as individual plants in thicker turf. It will spread by seed if allowed to flower and by rhizomes or stolons under close mowing. It is usually more common in low-maintenance turf. It persists more in lighter drier soils. Hawkweed does best in acidic soils. Proper fertility and monitoring of the soil pH will help the turf compete with hawkweed.
Repeat applications may be necessary to control this hairy-leafed weed. Make your post-emergence herbicide application to hawkweed that is actively growing and in the rosette to flower stage of growth to optimize control.