Senecio integerrimus var. exaltatus
Columbia ragwort, Columbia Ragwort
Photo: parent species Senecio integerrimus · (c) John Powers, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Senecio integerrimus var. exaltatus (Columbia ragwort) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by black-tipped phyllaries, 5 rays, woolly flowering stems.
Columbia ragwort is a California native perennial found in the Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, and Great Basin in open woodland, sagebrush scrub, and grassland at elevations of 500 to 3,200 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces yellow ray flowers 6 to 15 millimeters long in heads with distinctive black-tipped phyllaries. Growing with soft-hairy stems 20 to 60 centimeters tall, it has a robust and upright growth habit. Its leaves are primarily basal and lower stem leaves, ranging from elliptic to lanceolate, with bases tapering from rounded to slightly heart-shaped. The flower heads are clustered, typically containing 5 to 15 ray flowers that create a bright yellow display against the plant's soft, hairy foliage.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 20 sympatric species; key features are black-tipped phyllaries, 5 rays, woolly flowering stems
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open woodland, sagebrush scrub, grassland
Elevation: 500-3200 m
Outside California: to Alberta, Washington, Wyoming
Bloom period
Senecio integerrimus var. exaltatus blooms May-Jul.
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 var. exaltatus native to California?
Yes. Senecio integerrimus var. exaltatus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Senecio integerrimus var. exaltatus bloom?
Senecio integerrimus var. exaltatus blooms May-Jul.
What plant family does Senecio integerrimus var. exaltatus belong to?
Senecio integerrimus var. exaltatus is in the Asteraceae family, genus Senecio.
What habitat does Senecio integerrimus var. exaltatus grow in?
Senecio integerrimus var. exaltatus grows in Open woodland, sagebrush scrub, grassland.
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.