FNPS Plant Database

Pyrrhopappus carolinianus

false dandelion, Carolina dessert chickory
  • Photo by: Mark Hutchinson, Hernando Chapter, FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

false dandelion, Carolina dessert chickory

Synonym(s):

Borkhausia caroliniana

Genus species:

Pyrrhopappus carolinianus

Family:

Asteraceae (Compositae)

Plant Specifics

Form:

Flower

Size:

2 ft

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

yellow

Fruit Color:

Phenology:

Winter dormant, blooms early spring

Noted For:

Showy Flowers

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Roadside plantings or meadow.

Considerations:

Is often considered a weed.

Availability:

Seed

Propagation:

Seeds. It will self-seed.

Light:

Full Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded---------------------------------Extremely Dry

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Somewhat moist, no flooding -to- Not wet but not extremely dry

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Loam

Soil pH:

Adaptable

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B,9A

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.

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Vouchered In:

Distribution
Vouchered
Not vouchered
Selected
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Starting…
Map coded by Melissa Fernandez-de Cespedes (Paynes Prairie Chapter)

Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators

Attracts pollinators.

Native Habitats:

Disturbed areas

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

Cherokee used to make infusion, taken to purify blood.

General Comments:

Basal rosette has weedy appearance.
FNPS Plant Print

Citations:

Conrad, James. (2021). False Dandelion, Pyrrhopappys carolinianus [in] Backyard Nature with Jim Conrad. ( https://www.backyardnature.net/n/h/falsedan.htm ). Accessed 2026.


Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. (2023). Plant Database: Pyrrhopappus carolinianus (Carolina desert-chicory). ( https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=PYCA2 ). Accessed 2026. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX.


Wunderlin, R. P, B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. (1999+). Atlas of Florida Plants. ( https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/ ). [S. M. Landry and K. N. Campbell (application development), USF Water Institute.] Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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