Common groundsel – Senecio vulgaris
Print
EmailSenecio vulgaris L.
Asteraceae (Aster family)
MI Status
Non-native
Life cycle
Summer or winter annual capable
of multiple generations per year.
Leaves
Alternate, sparsely hairy to smooth with variable leaf shape. Young leaf
margins may be smooth to slightly wavy; older leaves have deep, irregular lobes and
coarsely toothed margins. Lower leaves have short stalks; upper leaves are stalkless.
Stems
Smooth, erect and multiple-branched. Usually no taller than 12 inches.
Flowers and fruit
Numerous yellow, cylinder- to cone-shaped flower heads are produced in clusters at the stem ends. The seed is enclosed in a single-seeded, wind-disseminated fruit that forms in a white, approximately 0.5-inch-wide puffball collection.
Reproduction
Seeds.
Other Documents in this Series
You Might Also Be Interested In
-
Integrated pest management webinars now available on demand
Published on November 1, 2013
-
Integrated pest management can save money
Published on January 22, 2014
-
Get more from your integrated pest management by attending our 2013 Academy
Published on December 11, 2012
-
MAEAP Phase I credits available at 2013 Integrated Pest Management Academy
Published on February 8, 2013
-
Respirator guidelines to meet new Worker Protection Standards
Published on April 10, 2017
-
Integrated pest management resources at Michigan State University Extension
Published on December 8, 2025
Accessibility Questions:
For questions about accessibility and/or if you need additional accommodations for a specific document, please send an email to ANR Communications & Marketing at anrcommunications@anr.msu.edu.