Fauna
Plant

Clustered Tarweed

Deinandra fasciculata

Also known as Fascicled Spikeweed, Clustered Tarplant

Clustered tarweed covers dry slopes, chaparral openings, and coastal sage scrub across Southern California and Baja California with a late-season burst of bright yellow. Its sticky, gland-tipped foliage emits a rich resinous scent that deters herbivores while conserving moisture during dry summer months. The small flower heads cluster tightly at the branch tips, providing a vital nectar source for native bees and butterflies when other flora has gone dormant.

AromaticNativeWildflower
Clustered Tarweed reference1 / 7
(c) Zack Abbey, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preySunlight, Water, Soil Nutrients
Predators
  • Native Bees
  • Herbivorous Insects
  • Birds
ThreatsUrban development, invasive non-native grasses, habitat fragmentation
HabitatsChaparral, coastal sage scrub, dry grasslands
Life spanAnnual
Classification
  1. FamilyAsteraceae
  2. SpeciesDeinandra fasciculata
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Best Viewing Season: Look for blooming tight clusters of bright yellow flowers from May through August.
  • Scent Discovery: Gently brush near the plant without crushing it to notice its sweet, piney resinous aroma.
  • Habitat Context: Search dry coastal hillsides, chaparral clearings, and disturbed clay soils.
Related species
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