Andrew Chick Ecology

Goat’s-beard (Tragopogon pratensis) is an attractive wildflower of meadows, grasslands, roadside verges and other grassy places, flowering mainly from late spring through the summer. Its yellow, dandelion-like flower heads are held on tall, rather elegant stems and can easily be overlooked amongst more colourful summer flowers.

One of its more unusual habits has given rise to the old country name “Jack-go-to-bed-at-noon”. The flowers generally open in the morning before closing around midday, particularly in bright sunshine.

However, Goat’s-beard is perhaps at its most impressive after flowering. The developing seed head expands into a large, perfectly rounded globe, rather like an enormous and exceptionally delicate dandelion clock. Each seed carries a beautiful parachute of fine, feathery hairs, allowing it to be carried away on the wind.

These impressive seed heads can be several centimetres across and are often more conspicuous than the flowers themselves. Seen catching the light on a summer morning, they are wonderfully intricate structures and arguably the most striking stage in the plant’s life cycle.