Asclepias eriocarpa

Kotolo, Kotolo

Family: Apocynaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Kotolo is a California native perennial found in dry, barren areas across California's diverse landscapes at elevations of 200 to 1,900 meters. Flowering from May to October, this plant produces cream-colored flowers occasionally pink-tinged, with distinctive purple-tinged hoods nestled among densely hairy clusters. Growing with erect stems that can reach moderate heights, it develops opposite or whorled leaves in groups of three or four, with elliptic to lanceolate blades tapering at the base. Its leaves are characterized by smooth margins and obtuse to short-acuminate tips, creating a distinctive silhouette in arid environments. The plant produces erect fruits with seeds 8 to 9 millimeters long, reflecting its robust adaptation to challenging dry habitats.

Habitat: Dry, barren areas

Bloom period: May-Oct

Elevation: 200-1900 m

Bioregions: CA (exc possibly GB, D, elsewhere)

California counties: Kern, Riverside, Fresno, Mariposa, Ventura, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Monterey, Orange, San Diego, Trinity, Mendocino, Tulare, Lake, Butte, Tehama, Merced, Yolo, Shasta, Tuolumne, Sutter, Plumas, Napa, Humboldt, Nevada, San Benito, Colusa, Glenn, Madera, Solano

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