Senecio sp.
Ragwort, groundsel, butterweed, Butterweed
(c) Fabien Piednoir, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Fabien Piednoir · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Annual · Variable; species dependent
Senecio sp. (Ragwort) is a non-native California annual in the Asteraceae family.
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 sp. native to California?
No. Senecio sp. is not native to California (recorded as variable; species dependent).
What plant family does Senecio sp. belong to?
Senecio sp. is in the Asteraceae family, genus Senecio.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.