It is a perennial herb growing a grayish woolly branching stem to about 40 centimeters (16 inches) in height from a deep taproot.

The woolly, toothed leaves are up to 30 centimeters (12 inches) long at the base of the plant.

[3] Western hawksbeard is occasionally grown by wildflower gardeners for its large deep yellow blooms.

The taproot cannot be divided for successful propagation and therefore it is planted from seed when cultivated.

The author Claude A. Barr was of the opinion that this species is the most attractive in the genus Crepis and that all the others are, "for the birds.