Baileya pleniradiata
Woolly desert marigold
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Baileya pleniradiata (Woolly desert marigold) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by angled fruits, intermediate flower size, branched stems.
Woolly desert marigold is a California native perennial found in southern coastal California (as a waif), the eastern Sierra Nevada, and desert regions in sandy desert roadsides at elevations below 1,900 meters. Flowering from March to June and October to November, this plant produces bright yellow ray flowers 6 to 10 millimeters long in large, hemispheric flower heads. Growing with branched stems 10 to 50 centimeters tall and covered in a dense, woolly white tomentose texture, it forms a compact, canescent plant. Its leaves vary from divided basal leaves with oblong to ovate lobes to simple, narrow linear or oblanceolate stem leaves, with basal leaves typically withering by flowering time. The fruit is a distinctly angled cylindric structure 3 to 4 millimeters long with prominent ribs.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 2 sympatric species; distinguished by angled fruits, intermediate flower size, branched stems
Habitat and range
Habitat: Desert roadsides, sandy soils
Elevation: < 1900 m
Outside California: to Utah, Arizona, northern Mexico
Bloom period
Baileya pleniradiata blooms Mar-Jun, Oct--Nov.
How to tell it apart
vs Eriophyllum: Eriophyllum rays wither and drop; Baileya rays persist as papery curled petals for weeks.; vs Geraea: Geraea has large green leaves; Baileya has small gray-woolly leaves and distinctive persistent papery rays.; vs Encelia: Encelia often lacks ray flowers entirely; Baileya always has persistent papery rays that curl backward.; vs Glebionis: Glebionis has smooth green leaves; Baileya is completely covered in dense gray wool.; vs Eschscholzia: Eschscholzia is a poppy with four petals and no disk center; Baileya is a composite with rays around a disk.
Frequently asked questions
Is Baileya pleniradiata native to California?
Yes. Baileya pleniradiata is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Baileya pleniradiata bloom?
Baileya pleniradiata blooms Mar-Jun, Oct--Nov.
What plant family does Baileya pleniradiata belong to?
Baileya pleniradiata is in the Asteraceae family, genus Baileya.
What habitat does Baileya pleniradiata grow in?
Baileya pleniradiata grows in Desert roadsides, sandy soils.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.