Senecio

( sen - NEE - see - oh )

At-A-Glance Information

This genus of plants includes perennials as well as evergreen and deciduous vines. Some species are succulent. They vary widely in exposure and water needs, and are relatives of the daisy.

Senecio Species and Varietals

The best growing zones for Senecio vary depending on the species. For more information, see the descriptions below. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Senecio cineraria (Dusty Miller)
This shrubby perennial plant grows best in zones 4-24, H1 and H2. They are native to the Mediterranean and get to 2-3 feet tall and wide, with wooly white leaves. These will bloom in almost any season, and bloom in clusters of yellow. They can get leggy if not sheared from time to time, and need full sun and great drainage for best performance. Variety 'Silver Dust' gets to 10 inches tall and has silvery-green leaves.

Senecio confusus (Pseudogynoxys chenopodioides) (Mexican Flame Vine)
This evergreen or deciduous vine is native to Mexico through Hondouras, and grows best in zones 13, 16-24, H1 and H2. Frost will kill this plant to the ground, but it regrows easily. Can get to 10-15 feet tall and wide in California, but can reach up to 40 feet in areas like Hawai'i. Fleshy leaves are light green, and orange-red blooms with golden centers bloom in clusters at branch tips from mid-spring through fall. This vine needs light soil and moderate to regular water. Great for use on a trellis or column, cascading over walls or embankments, and in hanging baskets as well. Variety 'Sao Paulo' has deeper orange, almost red blooms.

Senecio mandraliscae (Kleinia mandraliscae)
This succulent, shrubby, perennial plant grows best in zones 12, 13, 16, 17, 21-24, H1 and H2. It is native to South Africa, and gets 1.5 feet tall and 2 feet wide. Foliage is blue-grey and cylindrical, and this plant is great as a groundcover. Needs partial shade in desert climates and beyond its hardiness range should be grown in containers and moved inside in winter.

Senecio serpens (Kleinia repens)
This succulent perennial grows well in zones 16, 17 and 21-24. It is native to South Africa and grows to 6 inches tall and a foot wide. This species requires little to moderate water.

Senecio talinoides
This succulent, shrubby perennial plant grows best in zones 15-17, 19-24, H1 and H2. Varieties are outlined below.

'Jolly Gray'
Gets 1.5 feet tall and 3 feet wide, with blue-grey leaves that can branch out at the tips.

'Blue'
This plant reaches 1 foot tall and 10 inches wide, and has a mounding habit.

Senecio viravira (Senecio leucostachys, Senecio cineraria 'Candissimus') (Dusty Miller)
This species is a shrubby perennial that performs best in zones 4-24 and is native to Argentina. It reaches 4 feet tall and wide, and has whitish leaves cut into pointed segments. Flowers are white but not showy. When grown in full sun, the plant is very leafy and the white is more brilliant in the foliage. In part shade, the plant has a looser form and is more green. Younger plants can be pinched to encourage bushier growth and to keep them more compact. They need little to moderate water.