# common groundsel (*Senecio vulgaris*) Common groundsel is a small plant that grows in gardens and fields. It has bright yellow flowers that look like tiny suns and soft, green leaves. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 4 - **Habitat:** Urban areas - **Also known as:** Groundsel ![common groundsel](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Groundsel_%28Senecio_vulgaris%29_%2810171293746%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Peter O'Connor aka anemoneprojectors from Stevenage, United Kingdom, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Groundsel_%28Senecio_vulgaris%29_%2810171293746%29.jpg) ## Appearance The common groundsel has distinctive deeply lobed, often ragged green leaves that grow from a reddish stem. Its small, yellow, thimble-shaped flower heads appear in clusters, often appearing without obvious petals, making it look quite different from a daisy. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Asterales - **Family:** Asteraceae - **Genus:** Senecio ## Interesting facts - It can sprout and grow from seed to flower in just a few weeks! - Its fluffy seeds can fly far on the wind like tiny parachutes! - Look closely! You might find this plant growing almost anywhere! - The plant's yellow flowers often stay closed, hiding their petals! ## Special abilities - **Speedy Sprout:** Common groundsel can grow from seed to flower incredibly fast, helping it quickly colonize bare ground. - **Seed Spreader:** It produces thousands of tiny, feathery seeds that float on the wind, spreading far and wide. - **Tough Grower:** Common groundsel can thrive in very poor or disturbed soils where other plants struggle to grow. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-60 cm - **Spread:** 10-30 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.2-1 cm - **Bloom Season:** Year-round - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Annual - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits flowers for nectar and pollen. - **Eaten by:** Groundsel leaf-miner (*Botanophila seneciella*) — Its larvae feed on the leaves. - **Eaten by:** [European Goldfinch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-goldfinch) (*Carduelis carduelis*) — Eats the plant's small, fluffy seeds. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Agricultural](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/agricultural): This human use trait describes species cultivated or domesticated by humans for agricultural purposes, including crops and livestock. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. - [Symbiotic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/symbiotic): Describes a relationship between two different species where they live in close association, often benefiting one or both. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Do not eat any plants without asking an adult first, as some can be harmful. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify common groundsel? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is common groundsel? 10-60 cm ### How wide does common groundsel spread? 10-30 cm ### How big are the flowers on common groundsel? 0.2-1 cm ### When does common groundsel bloom? Year-round ### Is common groundsel edible? No ### Is common groundsel toxic? Mild ### What is common groundsel's lifecycle? Annual ## Where to spot - [Ice Age Trail](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ice-age-trail) — Wisconsin, US · National Park - [Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/guadalupe-nipomo-dunes) — California, US · Natural Landmark - [Hunters Point](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hunters-point) — New York, US · Neighborhood - [Moorefield Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/moorefield-historic-district) — West Virginia, US · Historic District - [Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/phipps-conservatory-and-botanical-gardens) — Pennsylvania, US · Botanical Garden - [Rodef Shalom Biblical Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rodef-shalom-biblical-botanical-garden) — Pennsylvania, US · Botanical Garden [View all places to see common groundsel](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/common-groundsel) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Common Groundsel: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-groundsel)