Senecio angustifolius
Narrow-leaved south african ragwort
(c) Jenny Saito, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Shrub
Senecio angustifolius (Narrow-leaved south african ragwort) is a California shrub in the Asteraceae family, recognized by distinctive subshrub with very narrow linear leaves.
Narrow-leaved south african ragwort is a naturalized shrub found in alluvial washes and coastal scrub habitats at elevations below 500 meters. Flowering throughout the year, this plant produces heads with numerous disk flowers in flat-topped clusters, typically with small tufts of white hairs. Growing to 1 meter tall and 2 meters wide, it develops several stems from the base with woody lower portions and green, ridged upper stems. Its distinctive linear to very narrowly lanceolate leaves are 10 to 35 millimeters long, sessile, often clasping, with minutely dentate margins and occasional white hair tufts in leaf axils. The plant's involucre features 12 to 16 green phyllaries with wide, translucent margins, often minutely brown- or black-tipped.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; distinctive subshrub with very narrow linear leaves
Habitat and range
Habitat: Alluvial washes, stragglers in coastal scrub or chaparral
Elevation: < 500 m
Outside California: native to South Africa
Bloom period
Senecio angustifolius blooms All year.
How to tell it apart
vs Packera: Senecio has larger leaves (over 2.5 inches) and often black-tipped bracts; Packera has tiny leaves (under 1.5 inches) with green or reddish tips.; vs Sonchus: Senecio has yellow daisy flowers with a neat single row of bracts; Sonchus has dandelion-like flowers and milky sap when broken.; vs Dudleya: Senecio is in the sunflower family with daisy flowers; Dudleya is a succulent with thick fleshy leaves and star-shaped flowers.; vs Ericameria: Senecio has one main row of equal bracts around flower heads; Ericameria has 2-4 overlapping rows of unequal bracts.; vs Taraxacum: Senecio has branching stems with multiple flower heads; Taraxacum has leafless hollow stems with single dandelion-like heads.
Frequently asked questions
When does Senecio angustifolius bloom?
Senecio angustifolius blooms All year.
What plant family does Senecio angustifolius belong to?
Senecio angustifolius is in the Asteraceae family, genus Senecio.
What habitat does Senecio angustifolius grow in?
Senecio angustifolius grows in Alluvial washes, stragglers in coastal scrub or chaparral.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.