Lambstongue Ragwort
Senecio integerrimus
- Native to:
- Canada, United States
Walter Siegmund (talk)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Genus:
- Senecio
- Species:
- Senecio integerrimus
- USDA Symbol:
- SEIN2
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Biennial | Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 70 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun,jul,aug
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:
- ★★★★☆ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Hunt's bumble bee (Bombus huntii), Indiscriminate cuckoo bumble bee (Bombus insularis), Two-form bumble bee (Bombus bifarius), Yellow-faced bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii) Butterflies:Rocky Mountain (Parnassius smintheus)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from root crown following fire; commonly increases in abundance in post-fire meadow and sagebrush communities.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- well-drained, sandy or rocky soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- prefers open, sunny habitats
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–28 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate best with light exposure and cool temperatures after cold stratification.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Seeds require extended cold, moist stratification. In trials, 45 days of stratification increased germination to 45%, but seedlings were not able to survive in constant warmth. Seedlings which germinated outside achieved 56% germination and high survival.
Establishment: Seeds are wind disseminated and must be collected before they blow away. Seed matures over a 2-3 week period. Harvested seed is stored in paper bags at room temperature until cleaned. The plant is a widespread species in Western North America, east to Montana and south to Colorado and California.
Source: npn.rngr.net