Amsinckia intermedia
Common fiddleneck
(c) joergmlpts, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Boraginaceae · Type: Annual · Native
Amsinckia intermedia (Common fiddleneck) is a native California annual in the Boraginaceae family, recognized by green color and stamen position.
Common fiddleneck is a native annual found in California in open, generally disturbed areas at elevations of 0 to 1,750 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces orange flowers with distinctive dark spots, approximately 7 to 11 millimeters long. Growing with ascending to erect green to brown stems that are spreading-bristly, it reaches a moderate height with multiple potential branches. Its leaves are green, coarse-hairy, and spread outward, contributing to the plant's distinctive appearance. The fruit is small, 2 to 3.5 millimeters long, with sharp tubercles that add texture to the plant's overall structure.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 14 sympatric species; green color and stamen position help distinguish
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open, generally disturbed areas
Elevation: < 1750(2350) m
California counties: Calaveras, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Santa Clara, San Joaquin, San Diego, Mendocino, Riverside, Fresno, Lake, Contra Costa, Glenn, Ventura, Orange, Monterey, Imperial, Tulare, Sacramento, Butte, Shasta, Tuolumne, Merced, Stanislaus, Alameda, Napa, Siskiyou, Sonoma, Kern, Colusa, Mariposa, San Francisco, Madera, Mono, San Mateo, San Benito, Yolo, Santa Cruz, Trinity, Lassen, Inyo, Solano, Marin, Humboldt, El Dorado, Sutter, Amador, Tehama, Kings, Placer, Yuba, Sierra, Del Norte, Modoc, Nevada
Outside California: to British Columbia, western Montana, Utah, western Texas, Baja California
Bloom period
Amsinckia intermedia blooms Mar-Jun.
How to tell it apart
vs Phacelia: Amsinckia always has orange or yellow flowers; Phacelia flowers are blue, purple, or white.; vs Plantago: Amsinckia has coiled orange flower clusters; Plantago has dense spikes with tiny white-brown flowers.; vs Helminthotheca: Amsinckia has bristly stems but simple leaves; Helminthotheca leaves are prickly-bumpy textured.; vs Echium: Amsinckia flowers are orange-yellow; Echium flowers are blue-purple and distinctly lopsided.; vs Camissoniopsis: Amsinckia has coiled flower clusters; Camissoniopsis has 4-petaled evening primrose flowers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Amsinckia intermedia native to California?
Yes. Amsinckia intermedia is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Amsinckia intermedia bloom?
Amsinckia intermedia blooms Mar-Jun.
Where in California does Amsinckia intermedia grow?
Amsinckia intermedia occurs in Calaveras, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Santa Clara, San Joaquin, San Diego and other counties, at elevations of < 1750(2350) m.
What plant family does Amsinckia intermedia belong to?
Amsinckia intermedia is in the Boraginaceae family, genus Amsinckia.
What habitat does Amsinckia intermedia grow in?
Amsinckia intermedia grows in Open, generally 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 2026-10-06
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.