Hazardia squarrosa var. obtusa
Saw toothed goldenbush
Photo: parent species Hazardia squarrosa · Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Hazardia squarrosa var. obtusa (Saw toothed goldenbush) is a native California shrub in the Asteraceae family, recognized by larger heads and erect phyllaries.
Saw toothed goldenbush is a California native shrub found in southern San Joaquin Valley and western Transverse Ranges in dry canyons, open woodland, and scrub at elevations of 600 to 1,200 meters. Flowering from September to November, this plant produces yellow flowers in heads 11 to 15 millimeters wide with phyllaries that are nearly erect and abruptly pointed. Growing with a glabrous to scabrous resinous habit, it develops stems that create a dense, textured appearance. Its leaves are robust and contribute to the shrub's distinctive saw-toothed character, creating a rugged and resilient profile in its arid habitat. The fruit features a distinctive tan pappus that aids in seed dispersal across its dry, rocky environment.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species; distinguished by larger heads and erect phyllaries
Habitat and range
Habitat: dry canyons, open woodland, scrub
Elevation: 600-1200 m
Bloom period
Hazardia squarrosa var. obtusa blooms Sep-Nov.
How to tell it apart
vs Isocoma: Hazardia has toothed leaf margins; Isocoma has entirely smooth-edged leaves.; vs Baccharis: Hazardia has yellow to purple disk flowers; Baccharis has separate male/female plants with whitish flowers.; vs Eriogonum: Hazardia is an Asteraceae shrub with daisy flowers; Eriogonum (Polygonaceae) has ball-like flower clusters.; vs Quercus: Hazardia has daisy flowers and herbaceous leaves; Quercus has acorns and woody oak leaves.; vs Ericameria: Hazardia has toothed leaves and 5-18 female flowers; Ericameria has entire leaves and 0-7 female flowers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Hazardia squarrosa var. obtusa native to California?
Yes. Hazardia squarrosa var. obtusa is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Hazardia squarrosa var. obtusa bloom?
Hazardia squarrosa var. obtusa blooms Sep-Nov.
What plant family does Hazardia squarrosa var. obtusa belong to?
Hazardia squarrosa var. obtusa is in the Asteraceae family, genus Hazardia.
What habitat does Hazardia squarrosa var. obtusa grow in?
Hazardia squarrosa var. obtusa grows in dry canyons, open woodland, scrub.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Hazardia squarrosa var. squarrosa — Saw toothed goldenbush
- Hazardia stenolepis — Narrow scaled goldenbush
- Hazardia whitneyi — Whitney's goldenbush
- Hazardia whitneyi var. discoidea — Rayless whitney's goldenbush
- Hazardia whitneyi var. whitneyi — Whitney's bristleweed
- Hazardia brickellioides — Brickell goldenbush
Sources: Jepson eFlora · 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.