Flower profile
Madagascar ragwort
Senecio madagascariensis
Madagascar ragwort is a wildflower. In Hawaii it's most often seen in bloom in January–December.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Hawaii
Quick look
Senecio madagascariensis, also known as Madagascar ragwort, is a species of the genus Senecio and family Asteraceae that is native to Southern Africa. Other common names include Madagascar groundsel and fireweed. It has been included on the noxious weeds list for Hawaii and the reject list for Australia. S.madagascariensis is the diploid cytotype of S.inaequidens.
- It belongs to the Asteraceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a annual, biennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as not native to Hawaii. NatureServe
- In Hawaii, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in January–December. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 670 research-grade sightings of it in Hawaii, ranking #74 among the 105 flowers on our Hawaii list. iNaturalist
Madagascar ragwort gift ideas
Handmade madagascar ragwort gifts from independent makers.
🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.
-
Placeholder
Madagascar ragwort art print
-
Placeholder
Madagascar ragwort greeting card
-
Placeholder
Madagascar ragwort mug
-
Placeholder
Madagascar ragwort earrings
-
Placeholder
Madagascar ragwort embroidery pattern
-
Placeholder
Madagascar ragwort sticker
When does it bloom?
In Hawaii, most flowering sightings come in January–December.
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- GNR Not yet ranked worldwide. NatureServe
- Hawaii
- Not listed Not on Hawaii threatened and endangered plants (HAR 13-107; the state list follows the federal list), DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Hawaii. HAR 13-107
- Rare elsewhere
- No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.
ASPCA's entry “Golden Ragwort” (Senecio species), which covers the whole genus, lists it as toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Signs include: Horses: liver disease (must be ingested in large amount or over a long time… ASPCA
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records madagascar ragwort in 1 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Hawaii.
More Hawaii flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile SEMA15.
- iNaturalist, Senecio madagascariensis: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Senecio madagascariensis (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Hawaii: Hawaii threatened and endangered plants (HAR 13-107; the state list follows the federal list), DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife.
- Hawaii: Hawaii noxious weed list (HAR 4-68).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Senecio madagascariensis (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: ASPCA.
- Photo: Daryl Nolan via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized.