How to Grow Crepis Plants in your Garden

Gardener's HQ Guide to Growing Hawksbeard and Dandelion

Members of the Crepis family are hardy dandelions that have been bred for gardens; they have flowers of orange, white, pink or red.

Crepis can reach heights of between 30 and 45 cm, and flower in the second half of the summer.

Common names for members of the Crepis genus include Dandelion and Hawksbeard (Hawk's beard).

Crepis capillaris
Crepis capillaris - Smooth Hawksbeard by Pellaea.

Crepis acuminata
Crepis acuminata - Tapertip hawksbeard by Matt Lavin.

Crepis Growing and Care Guide

Common Names: Hawksbeard, Smooth Hawksbeard, Tapertip Hawksbeard.
Life Cycle: Hardy annual. Hardy biennial. Hardy perennial.
Height: 12 to 28 inches (30 to 70 cm).
Native: North America, Europe, Asia, Northern and tropical Africa.
Growing Region: Zones 3 to 9.
Flowers: Late spring to early autumn.
Flower Details: Yellow, red, pink, orange, white. Often Dandelion-like, but with many flowers per inflorescence.
Foliage: Grey-green. Pointed lobes. Lanceolate.
Sow Outside: Cover seeds. Before last frost. Annuals can also be sown in the autumn in mild areas. Spacing: 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 cm).
Sow Inside: Germination time: five days to two weeks. Temperature 75°F (24°C). Seven or eight weeks in advance. Transplant outdoors following the last frost.
Requirements: Full sunlight. Good drainage. Propagate: root cuttings; late winter.

How to Grow Dandelion, Hawksbeard and other Crepis Plants

Depending on whether they are annuals or perennials Crepis should be sown in the autumn (annuals) or before the last frost of spring (perennials); simply cover the seeds with a dusting of topsoil when sown. Crepis prefer to grow in a sunny part of the garden that has good drainage. If you prefer to grow seedlings indoors first, then they should be started off about 7 or 8 weeks before you put them out into the garden after the last frost of spring; they should be spaced at about 10 to 15 cm apart.

Caring for Crepis

Crepis normally take about one to two weeks to germinate at a temperature of 20 to 25 degrees centigrade. They are very easy to look after, if you deadhead the flowers then they will continually produce more flowers.