California goldfields facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lasthenia californica
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Asterales
Family:	Asteraceae
Tribe:	Heliantheae
Genus:	Lasthenia
Species:	L. californica
Binomial name
Lasthenia californica DC. ex Lindl.

The California goldfields (scientific name: Lasthenia californica) is a beautiful flowering plant. It belongs to the daisy family. You can find it growing naturally in California, Oregon, and nearby regions. This plant is very common in many different types of environments there.

What is the California Goldfields Plant?

The California goldfields plant is an annual herb. This means it grows from a seed, flowers, produces new seeds, and then dies all within one year. It usually stays quite small, but it can grow up to about 40 centimeters (about 16 inches) tall.

How Does the California Goldfields Plant Look?

The way this plant looks can change a lot. This depends on its specific type (subspecies) and the climate it grows in.

Leaves and Stems

The stems of the California goldfields plant are often hairy. Its leaves are also hairy and look somewhat like thin lines. They can be anywhere from one to seven centimeters long. If you find these plants growing near the coast, their leaves might be a bit thicker or "fleshy."

What About the Flowers?

At the top of the hairy stems, you'll find groups of flower heads. These heads are surrounded by small, hairy leaf-like parts called phyllaries.

Flower Parts

Each flower head has many tiny yellow disc florets in the center. Around the edge, there's a fringe of small ray florets. These are the parts that look like petals on a daisy.

When Do They Bloom?

In the spring, huge numbers of California goldfields plants bloom all at once. They create amazing carpets of bright yellow flowers. You can see these yellow "carpets" covering hillsides and meadows. This beautiful sight is how the plant got its common name, "goldfields."