Senecio serra var. serra
Tall ragwort, sawtooth groundsel, Sawtooth Groundsel
Dean Wm. Taylor (via Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Senecio serra var. serra (Tall ragwort) is a native California subshrub in the Asteraceae family, recognized by distinctive tall stature and numerous flower heads.
Tall ragwort is a California native perennial found in the southern Sierra Nevada, Sierra Nevada, Great Basin, and southern Sierra Nevada Foothills in open streambanks of conifer woodland and sagebrush scrub at elevations of 1,000 to 3,000 meters. Flowering from July to August, this plant produces yellow ray flowers 5 to 7 millimeters long with numerous flower heads arranged in flat-topped to panicle-like clusters. Growing 4 to 10 decimeters tall with multiple stems that are glabrous or lightly hairy, it emerges from a branched woody caudex. Its leaves are distinctively linear to lanceolate, 5 to 20 centimeters long and 1 to 4 centimeters wide, with teeth along the margins and lower leaves often withering before flowering. The plant's flower heads feature narrow bell-shaped involucres with about 8 phyllaries, some with distinctive black-tipped green edges.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 20 sympatric species; distinctive tall stature and numerous flower heads
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open streambanks in conifer woodland, sagebrush scrub
Elevation: 1000-3000 m
Outside California: to Washington, Montana, Wyoming
Bloom period
Senecio serra var. serra blooms Jul-Aug.
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 serra var. serra native to California?
Yes. Senecio serra var. serra is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Senecio serra var. serra bloom?
Senecio serra var. serra blooms Jul-Aug.
What plant family does Senecio serra var. serra belong to?
Senecio serra var. serra is in the Asteraceae family, genus Senecio.
What habitat does Senecio serra var. serra grow in?
Senecio serra var. serra grows in Open streambanks in conifer woodland, sagebrush scrub.
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.