# Sun Cup (*Taraxia ovata*)

The Sun Cup is a bright yellow flower that loves to soak up the sun! It blooms in warm weather and can often be found in fields and meadows, bringing joy to everyone who sees it.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Grasslands
- **Also known as:** California Sun Cup

![Sun Cup](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Camissonia_ovata_2.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Camissonia_ovata_2.jpg)

## Appearance

The Sun Cup has bright yellow, dandelion-like flowers that sit atop leafless stems, resembling small, cheerful cups. Its leaves form a flat rosette close to the ground, often with wavy or toothed edges. It visually stands out with its solitary, vibrant blooms.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Myrtales
- **Family:** Onagraceae
- **Genus:** Taraxia

## Interesting facts

- Even though it's called a 'cup,' it's actually part of the dandelion family!
- Its bright yellow flowers are like little solar panels, attracting helpful insects!
- Many animals, including people, can eat different parts of this plant!
- The leaves grow flat on the ground to help collect dew and moisture.

## Special abilities

- **Solar Tracker:** Sun Cup can track the sun across the sky with its flowers, helping it absorb more energy for growth and seed production.
- **Tough Roots:** Sun Cup has a strong taproot that helps it grow in poor, compacted soils and find water deep underground.
- **Windy Wanderer:** Sun Cup produces fluffy seeds that can float on the wind, allowing them to spread far and wide to new places.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 10-40 cm
- **Spread:** 15-30 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1-3 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Spring to early Summer
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Annual
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen
- **Pollinates:** Yellow-faced Bumblebee (*Bombus vosnesenskii*) — gathers nectar and pollen
- **Eaten by:** [Desert Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/desert-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus audubonii*) — browses on leaves and stems

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.
- [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
- [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.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always look but don't pick flowers in nature, so they can keep growing.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Sun Cup?

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 Sun Cup?

10-40 cm

### How wide does Sun Cup spread?

15-30 cm

### How big are the flowers on Sun Cup?

1-3 cm

### When does Sun Cup bloom?

Spring to early Summer

### Is Sun Cup edible?

Yes

### Is Sun Cup toxic?

None

### What is Sun Cup's lifecycle?

Annual

## 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*)

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Source: [Sun Cup: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sun-cup)