Flower:

Raceme or branching cluster of 10 to 20 yellow dandelion-like flowers on short hairy stalks at the top of the stem. Flowers are about ½ inch across with 40 to 90 yellow ray flowers (petals) with notched tips. The bracts (phyllaries) surrounding the base of the flower are densely covered in a mix of star-shaped and glandular hairs.

Leaves and stem:

Leaves are mostly basal, 2 to 10 inches long, up to 1½ inches wide, rounded or blunt at the tip, tapering at the base, toothless, and densely covered in white hairs 1/8 to ½+ inch (3 to 15+ mm) long. Stem leaves are few, smaller than the basal leaves, and alternately attached leaves to about the midpoint of the stem. The stem is covered in long stiff hairs, sometimes mixed with small star-shaped hairs, the long hairs more dense and longer on the lower stem..

Fruit:

Fruit is a dark seed about ¼ inch long with a tuft of light brown hair to carry it off in the wind.

Notes:

An uncommon species, Minnesota is the northwestern corner of its natural range. Hairy Hawkweed does not colonize so it isn't likely to be confused with one of the weedy hawkweeds that tend to form large mono-cultures. When present, it is typically found as single plants scattered in the area. The hairs on the leaves and stem are longer than other hawkweeds, it's typically 3 to 4 feet tall, and hairs on the seeds are brown where the weedy hawkweeds rarely exceed 2 feet and hairs on the seeds are white.