Senecio integerrimus
Lambstongue ragwort
(c) John Powers, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Senecio integerrimus (Lambstongue ragwort) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family.
Lambstongue ragwort is a California native perennial herb found in various bioregions with variable habitat from low to mid-elevation ranges. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces bright yellow flowers in radiate heads with 5 to 13 ray flowers 5 to 15 millimeters long. Growing 20 to 70 centimeters tall with a single stem that is slightly cobwebby or long-soft-hairy, it develops from a button-like caudex with fleshy-fibrous roots. Its leaves vary distinctively, with basal and lower stem leaves elliptic to lanceolate, 6 to 25 centimeters long and 1 to 6 centimeters wide, ranging from entire to slightly toothed. The flowering clusters are generally flat-topped with 6 to 15 heads, featuring phyllaries with green or black-tipped tips.
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 integerrimus native to California?
Yes. Senecio integerrimus is native to California (recorded as native).
What plant family does Senecio integerrimus belong to?
Senecio integerrimus is in the Asteraceae family, genus Senecio.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Senecio integerrimus var. exaltatus — Columbia ragwort
- Senecio integerrimus var. major — Lambs-tongue ragwort
- Senecio integerrimus var. ochroleucus — Pale-yellow ragwort
- Senecio linearifolius var. linearifolius — Linear-leaved australian fireweed
- Senecio lyonii — Island senecio
- Senecio minimus — Coastal burnweed
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.