Senecio Senecio
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- sen-ess-ee-o
- This plant has medium severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Senecio is in the daisy family and includes ragwort and groundsels. It contains over 1,000 species of flowering plants and contains both annuals and perennials from shrubs to trees to vines. There are about 100 varieties that are considered succulents. The widespread species range from noxious weeds to showy garden perennials.
A sun-loving plant in cooler climates, shade should be provided in locations that experience hot and dry conditions. Great for containers or as hanging plants that can be placed in the garden during the warmer months and brought indoors as the days become colder. Place your indoor containers in bright indirect sunlight and outdoor plants in full sun. They do best in a well-drained potting mix. They are drought-tolerant, so watering should be done after allowing the roots to dry out completely. Don't overwater. Plants allowed to sit in water may experience mushy roots.
The long-lasting flowers bloom for up to a month. However, it's the showy foliage that will catch your eye.
Popular varieties that sold as houseplants are Blue Chalksticks and String of Pearls.
Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems: Some insects that may affect this plant are mealybugs and scale. Cineraria leaf rust can be an issue on both the stems and foliage.
The sap from the plant can cause skin irritation. Wear gloves to avoid direct contact. Avoid locations where pets or children can access the plant, as ingestion can cause liver disease in animals.
Quick ID:
- Variety of forms among species
- Dense, silvery hairs on the leaves
- Yellow, daisy-like flowers (heads of disk and rays)
VIDEO Created by Laura Barth for "Houseplants, Succulents, and Cacti", a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
- S. candicans 'Angel Wings', S. crassissimus, S. vulgaris
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
- S. candicans 'Angel Wings', S. crassissimus, S. vulgaris
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Senecio
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Leaf Cutting
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- South Africa
- Wildlife Value:
- Some plants used by the larvae of some Lepidoptera (butterflies & moths) species as host plants
- Play Value:
- Attracts Pollinators
- Colorful
- Easy to Grow
- Textural
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Ground Cover
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Houseplant
- Perennial
- Poisonous
- Shrub
- Succulent
- Habit/Form:
- Cascading
- Columnar
- Creeping
- Erect
- Horizontal
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Occasionally Dry
- Very Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- Less than 12 inches
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b, 12a, 12b
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Purple/Lavender
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Head
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Long-lasting
- Flower Shape:
- Radial
- Flower Petals:
- Bracts
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- The clusters of flowers are yellow (rarely white or purple) in a head resembling a small sunflower. The flower clusters contain 10 to 22 small rayless flower heads.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Blue
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Fleshy
- Velvety
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Whorled
- Leaf Shape:
- Linear
- Oblong
- Orbicular
- Peltate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- The leaves of the succulent varieties are often lobed or divided with a variety of colors including green, blue and striped. There is also a variation in the leaf shapes, from rounded, saw-toothed to banana shaped. Some varieties are covered with smooth, fine hairs.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Form:
- Straight
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Hanging Baskets
- Houseplants
- Patio
- Pool/Hardscape
- Small Space
- Walkways
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Rock Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Small groups
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Moths
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Heat
- Problems:
- Contact Dermatitis
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Children
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses