ID this composite

[Gene Mirro]

I got this as Erigeron aureus.  I think it's Hieracium.  What do you think?  The leaves are very fuzzy.  Is it worth keeping?  Thanks.
http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee69/motie42/IMG_4879small.jpg

Mark McD:  sorry folks but it looks as if this external link is broken and the image is no longer found.  Reminder: it is always best to directly upload photos to the NARGS Forum when editing a message by clicking on "Additional Options" > Attach > Browse to select the image.

[Peter George]

Weird! I obtained the identical plant last summer, and it was labeled (mislabeled!) as E. aureus as well. It's Hieracium villosum, which I've had in my garden for over a decade. A very odd coincidence. My guess is that someone contributed mislabeled seed to NARGS, and we've received the progeny.

[Gene Mirro]

Yup, that's where it came from.  I'm inclined to discard them.  Hieraciums self-seed rampantly at my place.

[Lori S.]

I'm quite fond of H. villosum... although I'm sure, when it's in bloom, the passersby assume I'm growing dandelions!  

My plants have more pointed leaves (see below) than the plant in question... variation, or a different-but-similar hairy species?  Mine also seem to be overall hairier, especially in the inflorescence than the plant shown... ?  I've grown it for many years and not found it to be a rampant seeder here.  (Haven't noticed the downwind neighbors yards to be full of it either...  )  But on that note, I did pull out H. maculatum 'Leopard' this spring... it causes me far too much weeding!  (Re. that one, I'm sure people assumed I was growing sow thistles...  )

[McDonough]

I'm quite fond of H. villosum... although I'm sure, when it's in bloom, the passersby assume I'm growing dandelions!  

My plants have more pointed leaves (see below) than the plant in question... variation, or a different-but-similar hairy species?  Mine also seem to be overall hairier, especially in the inflorescence than the plant shown... ?  I've grown it for many years and not found it to be a rampant seeder here.  (Haven't noticed the downwind neighbors yards to be full of it either...  )  But on that note, I did pull out H. maculatum 'Leopard' this spring... it causes me far too much weeding!  (Re. that one, I'm sure people assumed I was growing sow thistles...  )

I don't know how anyone could not love this plant after seeing all these photos of super-fuzzy foliage and buds, and showy blooms.  What a fine looking plant.

[RickR]

I visited a couple members' gardens last week, and I was going to post a plant for identification when it bloomed (to be sure), but I don't think I have to now.  They sure look like H. villosum.  What do ya'll think?

[Lori S.]

It sure looks like what I am growing as H. villosum, Rick, right down to the pointier leaves.

Another difference between mine and the initial plant in question seems to be the leafiness of the flower stems - leafy on mine, but not so on Gene's plant.  I'm tending to think that Gene's plant is one of the other furry hieraciums, perhaps, rather than H. villosum.

On that note, here is an example of a furry, U.S.-native hieracium on which the nature of the flower stems seems more akin to Gene's plant - Hieracium scouleri; not sure if the leaf shape is correct or not:
http://plants.usda.gov/java/largeImage?imageID=hisc2_001_ahp.tif

[Hoy]

Hieracium is a difficult genus with more than 2000 apomictic species (in Scandinavia alone) and probably some nonapomictic too. I would say it is difficult maybe impossible to identify a species without having the plant and an expert!