Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, also in eastern North America.

Habitat: Roadsides, fields, forest edge, wastelots, and other disturbed areas at low elevation.

Flowers: May-September

Origin: Introduced from Europe

Growth Duration: Annual

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bumblebees, bees, butterflies, flies, beetles

Sparsely pubescent, tap-rooted annual, usually with a simple stem 1.5-8 dm. tall

Leafy throughout, the leaves more or less pinnatifid and irregularly toothed, 2-12 cm. long and 4-40 mm. wide, narrowly lanceolate in outline.

Separate from the only other annual Senecio in our area by the number of involucre bracts (S. vulgaris has about 21, S. sylvaticus,13), the bracteoles (only S. vulgaris are black-tipped) and the aroma (only S. sylvaticus is malodorous).