Tapertip Hawksbeard: A Western Native Worth Knowing
If you’re passionate about native plants and live in the western United States, you might want to get acquainted with tapertip hawksbeard (Crepis acuminata acuminata). This unassuming native perennial belongs to the sunflower family and has been quietly thriving across western landscapes long before any of us started thinking about native gardening.
What Exactly Is Tapertip Hawksbeard?
Tapertip hawksbeard is a perennial forb—essentially a non-woody flowering plant that comes back year after year. Unlike shrubs or trees, forbs like this one don’t develop significant woody tissue above ground, instead storing their energy in underground structures that help them survive through seasons and return each spring.
Botanically speaking, this plant goes by a few different names in scientific circles. You might also see it referenced as Crepis acuminata ssp. typica or Psilochenia acuminata, but don’t let the name variations throw you—it’s all the same plant.
Where Does It Call Home?
This native beauty has quite an impressive range across the western United States. You’ll find tapertip hawksbeard growing naturally in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. That’s a pretty substantial chunk of the West, which tells us this plant is both adaptable and well-suited to various western growing conditions.
Why Consider It for Your Garden?
Here’s where we hit a bit of a knowledge gap—and that’s actually part of what makes native plant gardening so interesting! While tapertip hawksbeard is clearly a successful native species given its wide distribution, detailed information about its specific garden performance, growing requirements, and landscape applications isn’t readily available in common gardening resources.
What we do know is encouraging:
- It’s a true native across much of the western United States
- As a perennial, it provides lasting value in the landscape
- Its wide natural range suggests it’s adaptable to various conditions
- Being a forb, it likely provides nectar and pollen resources for native pollinators
The Challenge and the Opportunity
If you’re intrigued by the idea of growing tapertip hawksbeard, you’ll be joining the ranks of adventurous native plant gardeners who help expand our collective knowledge about lesser-known species. Since specific cultivation information is limited, you’d essentially be conducting your own garden experiment—which can be incredibly rewarding!
Before attempting to grow this plant, consider reaching out to:
- Local native plant societies in your area
- Native plant nurseries that specialize in your region’s flora
- University extension services in states where it naturally occurs
- Botanical gardens or natural areas where you might observe it growing wild
A Word About Responsible Native Gardening
If you do decide to experiment with growing tapertip hawksbeard, please source your plants or seeds responsibly. Never collect from wild populations, and always purchase from reputable native plant nurseries that propagate their stock rather than wild-harvesting.
Since this plant’s specific garden requirements aren’t well-documented, start small and observe how it performs in your particular conditions. Your experience could contribute valuable information to the broader native gardening community!
The Bottom Line
Tapertip hawksbeard represents both the promise and the challenge of native gardening. While we don’t have all the answers about how to successfully cultivate this western native, its extensive natural range suggests it’s a resilient plant worth investigating. For gardeners in western states who enjoy experimenting with lesser-known natives, this could be an interesting addition to consider—just approach it with patience and realistic expectations as you help unlock its garden potential.
