Urospermum picroides aka False Hawkbit

Urospermum picroides is an annual in the daisy family, Asteraceae. Its common names include prickly goldenfleece, false hawkbit and sheep's beard. Its native range spans Macaronesia and the Mediterranean region. It extends east to Iran and the Arabian Peninsula. This range includes parts of southern Europe and North Africa. It also includes Atlantic islands, such as Madeira and the Canaries. The species is not native to Britain or Ireland.

This fast-growing herb reaches about 1–1.6 feet [0.3–0.5 metres] tall. Its spread is about 0.7 feet [0.2 metres]. It completes its life cycle as an annual, rather than forming a lasting woody plant. The supplied sources give little detail about its stems or leaves. They also give no clear account of its flowers or fruit. Seed is the stated means of propagation. No flowering season is given in the evidence.

In the wild, it grows along roadsides and on sand dunes. It also occurs in rough pasture, disturbed scrub and woodland. Records place it from sea level to 400 metres in elevation. Kew places the species in a subtropical climate group. Plants For A Future describes it as able to endure harsh conditions. These habitat records help explain its presence on disturbed ground. They do not establish how it behaves in every garden setting.

For cultivation, give this plant sun rather than shade. It accepts sandy, loamy and clay soils, provided they drain well. It can also grow where soil nutrients are low. Its soil tolerance spans mildly acid to very alkaline conditions. Dry or moist soil suits it, and it tolerates drought. Plants For A Future lists USDA hardiness zones 6–10. That source also gives a UK zone number of 7. This is not an RHS H-rating and should not be read as one.

People eat the leaves and roots as wild vegetables. The plant has a long food-use history in southern Croatia and southwestern Herzegovina. Plants For A Future gives it an edible-use score of two out of five. It gives the same score for medicinal use. Reported laboratory findings suggest possible anti-inflammatory effects, but do not establish a treatment. The source lists no known hazards, rather than proving safety for every use. It also lists no other uses. Although it calls the plant a weed, it does not flag weed potential.