Helianthella californica var. californica

California helianthella

Family: Asteraceae · Type: perennial · Native

California helianthella is a native perennial found in the North Coast Ranges and San Francisco Bay Area in open, grassy sites at elevations below 1,000 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces yellow flowers in daisy-like heads approximately 1.5 to 2 centimeters in diameter. Growing with stems 30 to 60 centimeters tall, it develops an erect, branching form typical of sunflower family members. Its leaves are distinctively oblanceolate to narrowly lanceolate, measuring 1 to 4 centimeters wide and arranged alternately along the stem. The plant lacks a pappus (seed crown) and produces compact flower clusters that stand out in grassland settings.

Habitat: Open, grassy sites

Bloom period: Apr-Jun

Elevation: < 1000 m

Bioregions: NCoR, SnFrB.

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.