Packera greenei
Flame ragwort
(c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Ken-ichi Ueda · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Packera greenei (Flame ragwort) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by . Distinguished by red-orange rays and red leaf undersides.
Flame ragwort is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges and northern Coast Ranges in dry, rocky serpentine areas and open woodland habitats at elevations of 100 to 1,600 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces distinctive red-orange ray flowers 8 to 15 millimeters long set against green flower heads with deep red-tipped phyllaries. Growing with a single stem 20 to 30 centimeters tall, it emerges from horizontal rhizomes and displays irregularly tomentose (woolly) stem surfaces. Its basal leaves are round to oblanceolate, 2 to 5 centimeters long, with coarsely toothed edges and a characteristic reddish underside, while upper stem leaves become progressively smaller and more linear. The plant forms radiate flower heads with 8 to 10 ray flowers and 35 to 65 disk flowers, creating a vibrant display in its serpentine woodland habitats.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 6 sympatric species. Distinguished by red-orange rays and red leaf undersides.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Uncommon. Dry, rocky, generally serpentine soils, open areas in scrub, woodland
Elevation: 100-1600 m
California counties: Mendocino, Lake, Trinity, Sonoma, Napa, Colusa, Glenn, Tehama, Shasta, Yolo
Bloom period
Packera greenei blooms May-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Senecio: Packera has green or red bract tips and fibrous roots; Senecio often has black bract tips and taproots.; vs Jacobaea: Packera is native with soft-toothed leaf margins; Jacobaea is non-native with harder-edged leaves.; vs Arnica: Packera has alternate leaves and many small heads; Arnica has opposite leaves and fewer large heads.; vs Eriophyllum: Packera has green leaves with soft hairs; Eriophyllum has densely woolly gray-white leaves.; vs Eriogonum: Packera has yellow daisy flowers; buckwheat has ball-like clusters of tiny pink/white/yellow flowers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Packera greenei native to California?
Yes. Packera greenei is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Packera greenei bloom?
Packera greenei blooms May-Jul.
Where in California does Packera greenei grow?
Packera greenei occurs in Mendocino, Lake, Trinity, Sonoma, Napa, Colusa, Glenn, Tehama and other counties, at elevations of 100-1600 m.
What plant family does Packera greenei belong to?
Packera greenei is in the Asteraceae family, genus Packera.
What habitat does Packera greenei grow in?
Packera greenei grows in Uncommon. Dry, rocky, generally serpentine soils, open areas in scrub, woodland.
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.