Helianthus ciliaris
Blueweed, Blueweed
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Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Not Native
Helianthus ciliaris (Blueweed) is a non-native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by distinctive blue-green foliage and colony-forming habit.
Blueweed is a naturalized perennial herb found in California's Central Valley, Central Coast, Southern Coast, and western Mojave Desert regions in roadsides, streambanks, and low drainage areas, often in saline soils at elevations below 650 meters. Flowering from June to November, this plant produces yellow ray flowers with red disk lobes in heads 12 to 25 millimeters wide. Growing 40 to 70 centimeters tall with horizontal rhizome-like roots, it often forms dense colonies with glaucous, blue-green stems. Its opposite leaves are sessile, 3 to 7.5 centimeters long, oblong or lanceolate with wedge-shaped bases and entire to shallowly lobed margins that are sometimes crinkled. The plant produces fruits 3 to 3.5 millimeters long with pappus scales 1.2 to 1.5 millimeters in length.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 8 sympatric species; distinctive blue-green foliage and colony-forming habit
Habitat and range
Habitat: Roadsides, streambanks, low drainage areas, often in saline soils
Elevation: < 650 m
Outside California: native to south-central United States, northern Mexico
Bloom period
Helianthus ciliaris blooms Jun-Nov.
How to tell it apart
vs Encelia: Helianthus is herbaceous with soft stems; Encelia is a woody shrub with persistent branches.; vs Bahiopsis: Helianthus has soft herbaceous stems; Bahiopsis is woody-based with persistent woody stems.; vs Wyethia: Helianthus has smaller disk flowers and readily falling seed scales; Wyethia has very large 8-12mm disk flowers.; vs Rudbeckia: Helianthus has a flat or rounded yellow center; Rudbeckia has a tall dark cone-shaped center.; vs Venegasia: Helianthus dies back to ground level; Venegasia is a large evergreen shrub in shaded canyons.
Frequently asked questions
Is Helianthus ciliaris native to California?
No. Helianthus ciliaris is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Helianthus ciliaris bloom?
Helianthus ciliaris blooms Jun-Nov.
What plant family does Helianthus ciliaris belong to?
Helianthus ciliaris is in the Asteraceae family, genus Helianthus.
What habitat does Helianthus ciliaris grow in?
Helianthus ciliaris grows in Roadsides, streambanks, low drainage areas, often in saline soils.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
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.