Amaranthus californicus
Californian amaranth
(c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Amaranthaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Amaranthus californicus (Californian amaranth) is a native California herb in the Amaranthaceae family, recognized by . Key features: prostrate habit, very small leaves, seasonally moist habitat, reduced perianth.
Californian amaranth is a California native perennial found in seasonally moist flats, lake margins, and disturbed areas at elevations below 2,800 meters. Flowering from July to October, this plant produces green flowers in small axillary clusters. Growing as a prostrate, mat-forming plant with green stems 10 to 50 centimeters long, it spreads across the ground in low, sprawling patches. Its leaves are small and delicate, with obovate to oblanceolate blades 3 to 20 millimeters long, featuring wedge-shaped bases and obtuse to slightly acute tips. The plant produces tiny dark red-brown, shiny seeds that are lenticular and smooth, measuring 0.8 to 1.1 millimeters.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 18 sympatric species. Key features: prostrate habit, very small leaves, seasonally moist habitat, reduced perianth
Habitat and range
Habitat: Seasonally moist flats, lake margins, disturbed areas
Elevation: < 2800 m
California counties: Yolo, Riverside, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Kern, Plumas, Napa, San Mateo, Tuolumne, Contra Costa, Sonoma, Ventura, Marin, Fresno, Nevada, Modoc, Lake, Glenn, San Diego, Butte, Lassen, Sierra, Yuba, Colusa, Placer, Tehama, Mendocino, Siskiyou, Santa Clara, Solano, Merced, Mono, Calaveras, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, El Dorado, Tulare, Santa Barbara, Sacramento, Orange
Outside California: to southern Canada, western Texas
Bloom period
Amaranthus californicus blooms Jul-Oct.
How to tell it apart
vs Celosia: Amaranthus has bristly flower spikes; Celosia has showy velvety flower plumes or crested combs.; vs Rumex: Amaranthus has dense bristly flower clusters; Rumex has flowers in whorls along stems with papery wings on fruits.; vs Salsola: Amaranthus has soft oval leaves and clustered flowers; Salsola has spine-tipped leaves and papery winged fruits.; vs Euphorbia: Amaranthus lacks milky sap and has separate male/female flowers; Euphorbia has milky sap and cup-like flower clusters.; vs Chenopodium: Amaranthus has bristly flower clusters; Chenopodium has mealy-coated leaves and flowers in loose balls.
Frequently asked questions
Is Amaranthus californicus native to California?
Yes. Amaranthus californicus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Amaranthus californicus bloom?
Amaranthus californicus blooms Jul-Oct.
Where in California does Amaranthus californicus grow?
Amaranthus californicus occurs in Yolo, Riverside, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Kern, Plumas, Napa, San Mateo and other counties, at elevations of < 2800 m.
What plant family does Amaranthus californicus belong to?
Amaranthus californicus is in the Amaranthaceae family, genus Amaranthus.
What habitat does Amaranthus californicus grow in?
Amaranthus californicus grows in Seasonally moist flats, lake margins, disturbed areas.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
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.