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Helianthus californicus

DC.

California Sunflower

G4Apparently Secure Found in 3 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.134478
Element CodePDAST4N090
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderAsterales
FamilyAsteraceae
GenusHelianthus
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-11-05
Change Date1990-01-16
Edition Date2025-11-05
Edition AuthorsSoteropoulos (2025)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent20,000-200,000 square km (about 8000-80,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 - 300
Rank Reasons
Helianthus californicus is a perennial herb found in springs, stream banks, wet meadows, freshwater marshes, and canyons. It occurs in western North America in California south to northern Baja California. There are likely over 81 occurrences, which potentially face threats from development, conversion to agriculture or pasture, invasive species, and other threats in some places. Little is known about trends, but with a large range extent and large number of occurrences, this species is considered apparently secure.
Range Extent Comments
Helianthus californicus occurs in western North America from the North Coast Ranges and Sierra Nevada Foothills of California south to northern Baja California (FNA 2006, Jepson 2025). Range extent was estimated to be over 170,000 square kilometers using herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1994 and 2025 (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are over 75 occurrences rangewide, though there are likely over 81 occurrences (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, this species is potentially threatened by development, conversion to agriculture or pasture, invasive species, and other threats in some places.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Helianthus californicus grows in springs, stream banks, wet meadows, freshwater marshes, and canyons (FNA 2006, Jepson 2025).

Reproduction

This species flowers from summer (July) through fall (October) (FNA 2006, Jepson 2025).
Palustrine Habitats
HERBACEOUS WETLANDSCRUB-SHRUB WETLANDRiparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN3
ProvinceRankNative
CaliforniaSNRYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
Unknown/undetermined———

—

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)Yes
Roadless Areas (3)
California (3)
AreaForestAcres
Devil GulchSierra National Forest30,490
Horse Creek RidgeSan Bernardino National Forest8,969
Red MountainAngeles National Forest8,034
References (8)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2006c. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 21. Magnoliophyta: Asteridae, part 8: Asteraceae, part 3. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxii + 616 pp.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
  3. iNaturalist. 2025. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2025).
  4. Jepson Flora Project (eds.) 2025. Jepson eFlora. Online. Available: https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/ (accessed 2025).
  5. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  6. Munz, P.A., with D.D. Keck. 1959. A California flora. Univ. California Press, Berkeley. 1681 pp.
  7. <p>NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2025. Version: 2.1.1 (released April 04, 2025).</p>
  8. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2025. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2025).