Flower profile

Madagascar ragwort

Senecio madagascariensis

Madagascar ragwort (Senecio madagascariensis) is a flowering plant in the Asteraceae family.

Not native to Hawaii

Madagascar ragwort is a wildflower.

1states where USDA records it

670HI sightings*

670U.S. sightings*

*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.
From Wikipedia's article Senecio madagascariensis, CC BY-SA 4.0.

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
iNaturalist has 670 research-grade sightings of it in Hawaii, ranking #74 among the 118 flowers on our Hawaii list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month in Hawaii (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (27 records)

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?

For peopleNot well documented

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.

For petsToxic to dogs, cats and horses

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.

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recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Hawaii.

Names, range and relatives

Other Senecio on Bloomipedia (3): Tall western groundsel, Threadleaf groundsel, Seabeach groundsel.

More from the Asteraceae family (212 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Common yarrow, Goldenrods, White snakeroot, Sunflowers, Chicory, Black-eyed Susan, Bull thistle, Common dandelion.

More Hawaii flowers

Trailing daisy

Sphagneticola trilobata

Introduced

🌼 Blooms in HI: June–December

'āhinahina

Argyroxiphium sandwicense

Native

🌼 Blooms in HI: June–September

Red tasselflower

Emilia fosbergii

Introduced

🌼 Blooms in HI: January–March

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.