Armeria maritima subsp. californica

Family: Plumbaginaceae · Type: perennial · Native

California sea thrift is a California native perennial found in northern Coast Ranges, central Coast Ranges, and northern Channel Islands on ocean bluffs, coastal strands, and exposed grasslands at elevations below 245 meters. Flowering from February to September, this plant produces delicate pink flowers in compact heads less than 2 centimeters wide. Growing with slender stems up to 60 centimeters tall, it forms dense tufted clumps characteristic of coastal environments. Its leaves are flat, glabrous, and narrow, measuring 6 to 12 centimeters long and only 1 to 2.5 millimeters wide. The flowers feature pink calyces with slightly hairy ribs and sharp-tipped lobes, creating a distinctive cushion-like appearance in coastal grassland habitats.

Habitat: Ocean bluffs, ridges, coastal strand, sand, exposed grassland

Bloom period: Feb-Sep

Elevation: < 245 m

Bioregions: NCo, CCo, n ChI

California counties: Humboldt, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, Mendocino, Sonoma, Monterey, San Mateo, Marin, Del Norte, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Mariposa, Santa Cruz, San Diego, Los Angeles

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.