Geraea canescens
Desert-sunflower
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Geraea canescens (Desert-sunflower) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by only desert species with radiate heads.
Desert-sunflower is a California native perennial found in the Mojave Desert bioregion in sandy desert soils at elevations below 1,300 meters. Flowering from January to May and September to November, this plant produces yellow ray flowers 1 to 2 centimeters long with distinctive radiate heads. Growing with stems 10 to 80 centimeters tall that are simple to openly branched and covered in soft bristly hairs, it develops a robust desert form. Its leaves range from 1 to 10 centimeters long, with lanceolate to ovate blades that are acute and often slightly hairy. The fruit develops small awns 3 to 4 millimeters long, characteristic of its sunflower family heritage.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated from congeners; only desert species with radiate heads
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sandy desert soils
Elevation: < 1300 m
Outside California: to southwestern Utah, western Arizona, northern Mexico
Bloom period
Geraea canescens blooms Jan-May, Sep--Nov.
How to tell it apart
vs Encelia: Geraea achenes are flat, hairy, and topped with 2 slender pappus awns; Encelia (brittlebush) achenes are hairy-margined but lack pappus awns, and it is a rounded shrub with leafless flower stalks.; vs Enceliopsis: Geraea is a leafy-stemmed hairy annual or herb with yellow rays; Enceliopsis has large basal long-petioled leaves and solitary heads on tall naked stalks.; vs Helianthus: Geraea is a smaller desert plant with a 2-awned pappus and narrower involucre; true sunflowers are coarser with larger heads, chaffy receptacles, and a pappus of 2 quickly-shed scales.; vs Bahiopsis: Geraea is herbaceous and bristly with awned achenes; Bahiopsis (goldeneye) is a shrub whose achenes lack a pappus or have only minute scales.; vs Bebbia: Geraea has broad yellow ray flowers around the head; Bebbia (sweetbush) has rayless heads of disk flowers only and a pappus of feathery bristles.
Frequently asked questions
Is Geraea canescens native to California?
Yes. Geraea canescens is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Geraea canescens bloom?
Geraea canescens blooms Jan-May, Sep--Nov.
What plant family does Geraea canescens belong to?
Geraea canescens is in the Asteraceae family, genus Geraea.
What habitat does Geraea canescens grow in?
Geraea canescens grows in Sandy desert 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.