Description

Goat’s-beard is a native biennial similar in appearance to a tall, stately dandelion but with leaves present on the stem and un-toothed linear lanceolate lower leaves. Its most characteristic feature of are the long, pointed sepal-like bracts surrounding the floral disc which draw in to close the flower head by late morning and give rise to its other common name of Jack-goto-bed-by-noon.

Habitat Information

Goat’s-bead is a native annual to short lived perennial found on a variety of tall grassy habitats including road verges, meadows, pastures, field margins and waste ground. It can tolerate occasional mowing but is lost from more intensively managed or grazed sites.

Growing Information

Best sown in the autumn.