Devil’s Paintbrush
I think Devil’s Paintbrush is a great name for this wildflower.
I have no clue how it got such a cool name but you either have to agree with me or leave now.
Orange Hawkweed – Hieracium aurantiacum
This is a naturalized alien that belongs to the same genus as native hawkweeds. Like other non native hawkweeds the leaves grow in a basal rosette whereas the natives have leaves that grow up the stems. What makes this hawkweed really stand out from all the others is the orange flowers. As far as I know this is the only hawkweed in the area that doesn’t have yellow flowers.
I was pretty excited when I saw this bug.
I thought I discovered the elusive shrimp headed hopper that’s found nowhere on Earth.
Looked at from another angle it only turned out to have a grasshopper’s head.
Hawkweeds like waste places such as my lawn and roadsides. They grow throughout the area and can easily be spotted while driving around St. Lawrence County, NY.
Note:
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June 14th, 2009 at 8:00 pm
It’s all in the marketing. The plant looks weedy to me, but how can I not have a plant that’s called devil’s paintbrush?
June 14th, 2009 at 9:02 pm
Hi WiseAcre! Never seen both characters, the bug and the plant. What is that white dust ?
June 14th, 2009 at 11:11 pm
I like the colors on the flower. It’s almost the color of fire. The bug is even more interesting. I’ve never seen one like it before.
June 14th, 2009 at 11:40 pm
Pretty colored flower. The name sounds interesting too!!!
Grasshoppers are not welcome in my yard. Even if they are cute!!
June 15th, 2009 at 5:56 am
awesome pics!
June 15th, 2009 at 8:02 am
It’s both a cool flower and a cool name. Though wouldn’t the devil’s paintbrush be RED?!
June 15th, 2009 at 10:56 am
The flowers are beautiful but the buds are nasty. The last macro shows a wounded head with messy hairs. Eeeeeeeee…..
June 15th, 2009 at 11:09 am
I love them, too! The orange ones here are scarcer than the yellow, and beautiful when they mix together. VERY cool name.
June 15th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
We have hawk weds we haven’t seen any this year.
The other day I saw my first Indian Paintbrush.
Coffee is on.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:51 pm
I also love devil’s paintbrush — the plant and name both. After photographing some vetch, fleabane and honeyclover today, I realized just how much of a fondness for weeds I really harbour.
June 19th, 2009 at 9:02 am
I’ve always been partial to these orange ones, even though they are alien. Gosh, do grasshoppers go through instars? I didn’t think so…