Senecio californicus
California ragwort, California Ragwort
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Senecio californicus (California ragwort) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by annual habit, fleshy clasping leaves, and black-tipped phyllaries.
California ragwort is a California native annual found in southern Sierra Nevada, Tehachapi, central and western California, southwestern California, and desert southern California in sandy, dry or drying sites at elevations below 1,200 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces yellow ray flowers 8 to 12 millimeters long with yellow disk flowers in radiate heads. Growing with branched stems 10 to 50 centimeters tall that emerge from a taproot, the plant can have 1 to 6 stems growing from its base or throughout. Its leaves are lance-linear to lanceolate, ranging 2 to 8 centimeters long, with lower leaves tapering to winged petioles and upper leaves sessile and clasping, varying from nearly entire to dentate or pinnately lobed. The fruit is 2 to 2.5 millimeters long and covered in short, stiff hairs.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 29 sympatric species; key features are annual habit, fleshy clasping leaves, and black-tipped phyllaries
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sandy, dry or drying sites
Elevation: < 1200 m
Outside California: Mexico
Bloom period
Senecio californicus blooms Mar-Jun.
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
Is Senecio californicus native to California?
Yes. Senecio californicus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Senecio californicus bloom?
Senecio californicus blooms Mar-Jun.
What plant family does Senecio californicus belong to?
Senecio californicus is in the Asteraceae family, genus Senecio.
What habitat does Senecio californicus grow in?
Senecio californicus grows in Sandy, dry or drying sites.
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.