Harmonia nutans
Nodding harmonia
(c) Don Loarie, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.3
Harmonia nutans (Nodding harmonia) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family.
Nodding harmonia is a California native annual found in southern North Coast Ranges in rocky, generally volcanic open or disturbed sites in chaparral and woodland at elevations of 100 to 1,000 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces white to yellow flowers in heads that nod while in bud and fruit, with 4 to 8 ray flowers 3 to 7 millimeters long. Growing 5 to 25 centimeters tall with stems where the proximal unbranched part varies in length relative to branches supporting flower heads, it has leaves distributed relatively evenly along the stem. Its phyllaries are coarsely or minutely hairy near folded edges, with 7 to 30 disk flowers forming the flower head. The fruit contains ray fruits without a bowed shape and disk fruits with 9 to 11 lanceolate, long-tapered pappus scales.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 2 sympatric species; key differentiator is nodding heads and absence of ray pappus
Habitat and range
Habitat: Rocky, generally volcanic, open or disturbed sites in chaparral and woodland
Elevation: 100-1000 m
California counties: Napa, Sonoma, Lake, Sacramento
Bloom period
Harmonia nutans blooms Apr-Jun.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.3
How to tell it apart
vs Hippodamia: Harmonia is a plant with yellow flowers; Hippodamia is a ladybird beetle.; vs Coccinella: Harmonia is a flowering plant; Coccinella is a ladybird beetle.; vs Cycloneda: Harmonia is a plant genus; Cycloneda is a beetle genus.; vs Chilocorus: Harmonia is a composite flower; Chilocorus is a ladybird beetle.; vs Olla: Harmonia is a tarweed plant; Olla is a beetle.
Frequently asked questions
Is Harmonia nutans native to California?
Yes. Harmonia nutans is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Harmonia nutans bloom?
Harmonia nutans blooms Apr-Jun.
Where in California does Harmonia nutans grow?
Harmonia nutans occurs in Napa, Sonoma, Lake, Sacramento, at elevations of 100-1000 m.
What plant family does Harmonia nutans belong to?
Harmonia nutans is in the Asteraceae family, genus Harmonia.
Is Harmonia nutans rare or endangered?
Harmonia nutans carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.3, state rank S3.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.