Montane, subalpine, alpine. Meadows, openings. Summer.
Middle Calico Trail, August 9, 2004.

Senecio crassulus is a common plant of high meadows, especially above tree-line.  It grows eight-to-twenty inches tall with thick, dark green, coarsely-toothed, hairy, often vertical leaves that clasp the stem or have winged petioles. 

Senecio crassulus ray flower rays (petals) are yellow to yellow-gold and the central disk flowers are golden.  Senecio crassulus often grows near the similar looking Hymenoxys hoopesii which is, however, taller with larger flowers and leaves.  Senecio integerrimus, which also is common in low-to-high mountain meadows, has smaller flowers, few small leaves on the main stem, and is usually quite hairy.

Senecio crassulus often appears in meadows in large numbers, but usually scattered singly or in clusters of a few plants.

Charles Parry collected Senecio crassulus in Colorado and it was named by Asa Gray in 1883. "Crass" is Latin for "thick". "Senecio" is from the Latin, "senes", "old man", and refers to the pappus hairs, the tiny bristle, hair, or awn growth at the apex of the seeds in Asteraceae.

Montane, subalpine, alpine. Meadows, openings. Summer.
Black Bear Pass Road, July 20, 2008.

Flower heads are medium-sized, but in large and showy clusters.  There are few, but long and narrow ray flower petals.  Notice under the long yellow ray flower petals there is a bulging involucre, the collection of green phyllaries.

Senecio crassulus (Thick-leaf Ragwort)
Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)

Montane, subalpine, alpine. Meadows, openings. Summer.
Meadow on Lone Cone Mountain, August 8, 2011.

The mountain side immediately above tree-line on Lone Cone was a carpet of yellow, much of it Senecio crassulus.  As Betty, Willi, and I walked through the meadow, we scattered a number of butterflies.  The second photograph below shows Milbert's Tortoise Shell, Nymphalis milberti, at the southerly limit of its range.  Click for more information about this butterfly. 

The third photograph shows Hoary Comma, Polygonia gracilis, a western U.S. and Canadian species.  Click for more information about this butterfly.

Both butterfly species are commonly found on tundra (and much lower elevations also) and both readily feed on flowers. 

Montane, subalpine. Disturbed areas, openings. Summer.
Sneffels Highline Trail, August 4, 2004.

Senecio eremophilus is a tall, stalky plant with small, bright yellow flowers.  It commonly grows to three feet tall, and its dark green, incised leaves are hallmarks.  Senecio eremophilus is fairly common in mountain and subalpine rocky areas.  Look for it also along roadsides.

John Richardson collected the first specimens of this plant for science when he was on the 1819-1822 Franklin Expedition in Canada and along the northern Pacific Coast.  He named the plant in 1823.  "Erem" is Greek for "lonely places" and "philo" for "loving".

Montane, subalpine. Disturbed areas, openings. Summer.
Robertson Pasture Trail, Abajo Mountains, Utah, August 1, 2014.

Montane, subalpine. Disturbed areas, openings. Summer.
Sneffels Highline Trail, August 4, 2004.

Range map © John Kartesz,
Floristic Synthesis of North America

State Color Key

Species present in state and native
Species present in state and exotic
Species not present in state

County Color Key

Species present and not rare
Species present and rare
Species extirpated (historic)
Species extinct
Species noxious
Species exotic and present
Native species, but adventive in state
Eradicated
Questionable presence

Range map for Senecio crassulus

Range map for Senecio eremophilus