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Cat's Ear

About Cat's Ear

Cat's Ear is a perennial weed from Eurasia in the aster family. It has naturalized on every continent except Antarctica. Cat's Ear tolerates a wide range of conditions and readily grows in most soil types. It produces many seeds per plant per year and each seed can become a mature plant in 2 months.

Taxonomy

Scientific name

Hypochaeris radicata

Genus

Hypochaeris

Family

Asteraceae

Order

Asterales

Also known as

Cat's-ear, Cat's ear, Catsear, Flatweed, Hairy cat's ear and False dandelion

How to care for Cat's Ear

💦 Water

How often to water your Cat's Ear

Cat's Ear needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Water 0.5 cups every
9

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

No Yes

Select the pot size

☀️ Light

Finding light for Cat's Ear in your home

Cat's Ear love being close to bright, sunny windows 😎.

Place it less than 1ft from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Cat's Ear does not tolerate low-light 🚫.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Cat's Ear in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize Cat's Ear

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Cat's Ear: repot after 2X growth

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Cat's Ear after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

💡 FAQs

💦 Water Needs

Cat's Ear prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Cat's Ear Water Frequency →

Cat's Ear Root Rot →

☀️ Sunlight Needs

Cat's Ear requires abundant, bright and direct light. Place it less than one foot from a window to ensure it receives enough light to survive 💪. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.

Cat's Ear Light Requirements →

Cat's Ear Direct Sunlight Needs & Tolerance →

🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

Cat's Ear is not known to cause harm to humans or pets. Regardless, if you, a family member, a cat, or dog has ingested any plant material, please consult a doctor or a veterinarian.

⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern

Cat's Ear is a clumping plant, meaning new growth will emerge from the soil around the parent plant.

Cat's Ear Lifecycle →

Cat's Ear Size Guide →

How and When to Prune Cat's Ear →

🌦️ Growing Outdoors

USDA Hardiness Zone
Cat's Ear can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 3a-9b. Find your local hardiness zone here.

Cat's Ear Temperature Tolerance →

Cat's Ear Hardiness Zones →

Is Cat's Ear a Weed? →

🌱 Propagation

The seeds of Cat's Ear can be used to grow new plants! After your plant flowers, any seeds that formed can be collected and germinated in potting soil.

How to Propagate Cat's Ear →

🍂 Yellow Leaves

Yellow leaves aren’t always a reason to panic, and can be a normal part of a plant’s life cycle. Unless brand new leaves are turning yellow or all the leaves change color at once, it’s likely just your plant shedding old leaves.

Overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause of problems in Cat's Ear, since they are sensitive to wet soil. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Less often, yellow leaves are caused by underwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests.

Replace soggy soil with fresh, dry soil and download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!

🧐 Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.