Helianthus gracilentus
Slender sunflower
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Helianthus gracilentus (Slender sunflower) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by fire-following habit, long peduncles, short bracts.
Slender sunflower is a California native perennial found in southern North Coast Ranges, Tehama, eastern San Francisco Bay Area, southern Coast Ranges, and southwestern California in dry slopes, chaparral, and woodland at elevations below 2,000 meters. Flowering from April to October, this plant produces yellow ray flowers 15 to 25 millimeters long with distinctive yellow or red disk flower centers in heads 13 to 20 millimeters wide. Growing 60 to 200 centimeters tall with a stout taproot and rough-hairy stems, it develops robust and textured vegetation. Its opposite to alternate leaves are lanceolate, 5 to 11 centimeters long, with rough upper surfaces and bristly undersides that are dotted with glands. The plant produces small fruits 3 to 4 millimeters long, often thriving in areas recently affected by fire.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 9 sympatric species; distinguished by fire-following habit, long peduncles, short bracts
Habitat and range
Habitat: dry slopes, especially after fires, chaparral, woodland
Elevation: < 2000 m
Outside California: northern Baja California
Bloom period
Helianthus gracilentus blooms Apr-Oct.
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 gracilentus native to California?
Yes. Helianthus gracilentus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Helianthus gracilentus bloom?
Helianthus gracilentus blooms Apr-Oct.
What plant family does Helianthus gracilentus belong to?
Helianthus gracilentus is in the Asteraceae family, genus Helianthus.
What habitat does Helianthus gracilentus grow in?
Helianthus gracilentus grows in dry slopes, especially after fires, chaparral, woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Helianthus inexpectatus — Newhall sunflower
- Helianthus niveus subsp. tephrodes — Algodones dunes sunflower
- Helianthus nuttallii — Nuttall's sunflower
- Helianthus nuttallii subsp. nuttallii — Nuttall's sunflower
- Helianthus nuttallii subsp. parishii — Los angeles sunflower
- Helianthus petiolaris — Prairie sunflower
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.