Tragopogon pratensis
Meadow salsify, Meadow Salsify
(c) Gilles San Martin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Not Native
Tragopogon pratensis (Meadow salsify) is a non-native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by elevation, phyllaries equaling flowers, and recurved leaf tips.
Meadow salsify is a naturalized biennial found in the Klamath Ranges, California high desert, Sierra Nevada, and Modoc Plateau in generally moist, disturbed places at elevations of 900 to 1,800 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces bright yellow ligule flowers in urn-shaped heads 12 to 30 millimeters long. Growing 1.5 to 8 decimeters tall with slightly hairy stems when young that become smooth with age, it develops long linear leaves that are somewhat hairy initially and later turn glabrous. Its leaves extend 2 to 4 decimeters long, typically with tips that recurve or coil, presenting a distinctive curved appearance. The mature fruit develops to 15 to 25 millimeters with a whitish pappus, creating delicate seed heads in late summer.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 2 sympatric species; elevation, phyllaries equaling flowers, and recurved leaf tips are diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Generally +- moist, disturbed places
Elevation: 900-1800 m
Outside California: native to Europe
Bloom period
Tragopogon pratensis blooms May-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Agoseris: Tragopogon has grass-like leaves that clasp the stem; Agoseris has basal rosettes of broader leaves; vs Taraxacum: Tragopogon grows tall with grass-like stem-clasping leaves; dandelion has only basal leaves in a rosette; vs Uropappus: Tragopogon has single row of bracts extending past petals; Uropappus has shorter overlapping bracts; vs Stebbinsoseris: Tragopogon has tall grass-like leaves clasping stem; Stebbinsoseris has small basal leaves only; vs Allium: Tragopogon flowers close by midday and lack onion smell; Allium stays open and smells like onion
Frequently asked questions
Is Tragopogon pratensis native to California?
No. Tragopogon pratensis is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Tragopogon pratensis bloom?
Tragopogon pratensis blooms May-Aug.
What plant family does Tragopogon pratensis belong to?
Tragopogon pratensis is in the Asteraceae family, genus Tragopogon.
What habitat does Tragopogon pratensis grow in?
Tragopogon pratensis grows in Generally +- moist, disturbed places.
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.