ENGLISH NAME: Mouse-ear
hawkweed
LATIN NAME: Hieracium pilosella (distinct from Pilosella officinarum,
though often used interchangeably in older texts)
LOCAL NAMES:
Czechia: Jestřábník chlupáček
Turkey: Fare otu / Küçük şahin otu
Bulgaria: Рунянка
Georgia: თაგვის ყური (Tagvis quri)
COUNTRY: Bulgaria, Czechia, Turkey, Georgia
WHERE TO FIND IT:
Region: Vysočina and Jeseníky (Czechia), Thracian and Central Anatolia
(Turkey), Balkan foothills and dry plains (Bulgaria), Samtskhe-Javakheti and
Meskheti (Georgia)
Elevation: 300–2000 meters
Terrain: Dry pastures, sandy grasslands, open pine forests, roadsides, and
rocky hillsides
DESCRIPTION:
A low-growing, stoloniferous perennial with a rosette of oblong, grey-green,
hairy leaves and a single yellow dandelion-like flower borne on a leafless,
woolly stem. The entire plant is covered in fine hairs, giving it a silvery
appearance. It blooms from late spring to early summer.
USABLE PARTS: Aerial parts –
leaves and flowering stems
MEDICINAL
PROPERTIES:
Traditionally used for its astringent, diuretic, and antimicrobial effects.
Employed in folk medicine for respiratory ailments, wound healing, urinary
tract infections, and as a remedy for diarrhea. Considered a lymphatic and
tissue tonic.
UNDESIRED EFFECTS:
Very well tolerated. Overuse may cause mild digestive upset. Not recommended
during pregnancy without professional supervision due to its astringency and
uterine effects.
COMBINING WITH
OTHER MEDICINES:
Combines well with plantain, horsetail, or yarrow for respiratory and urinary
blends; with calendula or comfrey in wound-healing salves.
PREPARATION:
Used as an infusion or tincture from dried aerial parts. Can also be used fresh
in poultices or salves for cuts, scrapes, and minor wounds. Decoction may be
applied topically as a wash.
HARVEST TIME:
Late spring to mid-summer, when in full bloom.
HARVEST METHOD:
Cut flowering stems and basal leaves with scissors or a knife on a dry morning.
Gather before the flowers begin to wilt for best potency.
CONSERVATION
(STORAGE):
Dry quickly in a shaded, ventilated area. Store in airtight containers away
from moisture and light. Use within 1 year for optimal medicinal strength.