This perennial herbaceous plant has a short stem and basal leaves arranged in a rosette.

They are silver-gray green, thin, spatulate to broadly ovate, pinnate and hairy.

This plant produces corymbs of yellow to orange-yellow flowers of about 13–14 millimetres (0.51–0.55 in).

This species is widespread in the Eastern Alps to the Apennines and the Carpathians.

Grey ragwort can be found on stony meadows, on rocky places and moraines at elevation of 1,700–2,600 metres (5,600–8,500 ft) above sea level.