Abronia maritima
Red sand-verbena, red sand-verbena, red sand-verbena
(c) Rupert Clayton, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Nyctaginaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.2
Abronia maritima (Red sand-verbena) is a native California herb in the Nyctaginaceae family, recognized by wine-red flowers diagnostic.
Red sand-verbena is a California native perennial herb found in southern California coastal regions including Channel Islands, southern Coast Ranges, and coastal areas below 100 meters elevation in coastal dune habitats. Flowering from February to October, this plant produces wine-red flowers with green to red perianth tubes in dense clusters up to 18 blooms wide. Growing in a prostrate form, it spreads across the ground in thick horizontal mats with short, erect branches extending up to 2 meters. Its fleshy leaves are broadly elliptic to oblong, measuring 5 to 7 centimeters long with petioles 5 to 30 millimeters in length. The fruit features thick, truncate wings that are coarsely net-veined and glandular-hairy near the top, measuring 10 to 14 millimeters long.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 4 sympatric species - wine-red flowers diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Coastal dunes
Elevation: < 100 m
California counties: Ventura, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Orange, San Diego, Monterey, Marin, Sonoma, San Bernardino, Santa Cruz
Outside California: Baja California
Bloom period
Abronia maritima blooms Feb-Oct.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.2
How to tell it apart
vs Lantana: Abronia flowers have no true petals (colorful sepals); Lantana has small tubular flowers with 4-5 petals.; vs Calystegia: Abronia has small flowers in dense rounded heads; Calystegia has large solitary funnel-shaped flowers.; vs Verbena: Abronia flowers are in dense rounded heads on trailing stems; Verbena has flowers in spikes.; vs Mirabilis: Abronia flowers lack the cup of fused bracts; Mirabilis has 5 bracts forming a cup around flowers.; vs Glandularia: Abronia has dense rounded flower heads and thick-winged fruits; Glandularia has spiked clusters and dry capsules.
Frequently asked questions
Is Abronia maritima native to California?
Yes. Abronia maritima is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Abronia maritima bloom?
Abronia maritima blooms Feb-Oct.
Where in California does Abronia maritima grow?
Abronia maritima occurs in Ventura, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Orange, San Diego, Monterey, Marin and other counties, at elevations of < 100 m.
What plant family does Abronia maritima belong to?
Abronia maritima is in the Nyctaginaceae family, genus Abronia.
Is Abronia maritima rare or endangered?
Abronia maritima carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.2, state rank S3?.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.