Hazardia squarrosa var. squarrosa
Saw toothed goldenbush
Photo: parent species Hazardia squarrosa · Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Hazardia squarrosa var. squarrosa (Saw toothed goldenbush) is a native California shrub in the Asteraceae family, recognized by large heads and glabrous, resinous habit.
Saw toothed goldenbush is a California native shrub found in southern coastal ranges in foothills, coastal mountains, open woodland, and scrub at elevations below 700 meters. Flowering from August to October, this plant produces golden yellow flowers in heads 11 to 15 millimeters wide with distinctively recurved phyllaries. Growing with resinous branches 30 to 60 centimeters tall, it develops a somewhat glabrous appearance with occasional sparse hairs on upper stems. Its leaves are characterized by serrated edges giving the plant its "saw toothed" common name, with a resinous texture that contributes to its distinctive appearance. The shrub's flower heads contain 18 to 30 individual flowers, each with a corolla 10 to 11 millimeters long and topped with a tan-colored pappus.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 2 sympatric species; distinguished by large heads and glabrous, resinous habit
Habitat and range
Habitat: Foothills, coastal mountains, open woodland, scrub
Elevation: < 700 m
Bloom period
Hazardia squarrosa var. squarrosa blooms Aug-Oct.
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. squarrosa native to California?
Yes. Hazardia squarrosa var. squarrosa is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Hazardia squarrosa var. squarrosa bloom?
Hazardia squarrosa var. squarrosa blooms Aug-Oct.
What plant family does Hazardia squarrosa var. squarrosa belong to?
Hazardia squarrosa var. squarrosa is in the Asteraceae family, genus Hazardia.
What habitat does Hazardia squarrosa var. squarrosa grow in?
Hazardia squarrosa var. squarrosa grows in Foothills, coastal mountains, open woodland, scrub.
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.