Senecio flaccidus var. douglasii
Douglas' threadleaf ragwort, Douglas' Threadleaf Ragwort
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Senecio flaccidus var. douglasii (Douglas' threadleaf ragwort) is a native California subshrub in the Asteraceae family, recognized by features are shrub habit, thread-like leaf divisions, gray-hairy.
Douglas' threadleaf ragwort is a California native shrub found in the North Coast Ranges, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, Central Valley, Central Western California, Southern California Coastal, Channel Islands, Transverse Ranges, and Peninsular Ranges in generally disturbed dry, open, sandy or rocky sites at elevations of 30 to 1,500 meters. Flowering from June to October, this plant produces yellow flowers in heads with 40 to 50 disk flowers. Growing with grayish stems 30 to 90 centimeters tall, it has a distinctively gray-hairy appearance. Its leaves are narrow and thread-like, characteristic of its "threadleaf" name, with a soft, delicate texture that complements its overall gray-green coloration. The fruit is approximately 4.5 to 5.5 millimeters long, typical of its ragwort genus.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 26 sympatric species; diagnostic features are shrub habit, thread-like leaf divisions, gray-hairy
Habitat and range
Habitat: Generally disturbed dry, open, sandy or rocky sites
Elevation: 30-1500 m
Outside California: Baja California
Bloom period
Senecio flaccidus var. douglasii blooms Generally Jun-Oct.
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 flaccidus var. douglasii native to California?
Yes. Senecio flaccidus var. douglasii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Senecio flaccidus var. douglasii bloom?
Senecio flaccidus var. douglasii blooms Generally Jun-Oct.
What plant family does Senecio flaccidus var. douglasii belong to?
Senecio flaccidus var. douglasii is in the Asteraceae family, genus Senecio.
What habitat does Senecio flaccidus var. douglasii grow in?
Senecio flaccidus var. douglasii grows in Generally disturbed dry, open, sandy or rocky sites.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Senecio flaccidus var. monoensis — Smooth threadleaf ragwort
- Senecio fremontii — Dwarf Mountain Ragwort
- Senecio fremontii var. fremontii — Dwarf mountain ragwort
- Senecio fremontii var. occidentalis — Western dwarf mountain ragwort
- Senecio glomeratus — Cutleaf burnweed
- Senecio hydrophiloides — Sweet marsh ragwort
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.