Blitum californicum
California blite
(c) Alisa Kim, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Amaranthaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Blitum californicum (California blite) is a native California herb in the Amaranthaceae family, recognized by only perennial in genus, with distinctive caudex and large deltate leaves.
California blite is a California native perennial herb found in the North Coast, North Coast Ranges, Sierra Nevada Foothills, Tehachapi Mountains, Great Valley, Central Western, Southwestern, southern Great Basin, and western Mojave Desert bioregions, growing in open sites with sandy to clay soils below 2,000 meters. Flowering from March to September, it has a stout fleshy caudex and broadly deltate, coarsely dentate leaves, with flower clusters arranged in interrupted terminal spikes 8 to 20 centimeters long.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 29 sympatric species - only perennial in genus, with distinctive caudex and large deltate leaves
Habitat and range
Habitat: Generally open sites, sandy to clay soils
Elevation: < 2000 m
California counties: Kern, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, San Diego, Santa Clara, Riverside, Lake, Monterey, Santa Barbara, Napa, Ventura, Orange, Tulare, San Benito, Stanislaus, San Joaquin, Contra Costa, Colusa, Inyo, Alameda, Solano, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, San Mateo, Fresno, Glenn, Yolo, Tehama, Sutter, Butte, Tuolumne, Marin, Sonoma, Merced
Outside California: Baja California
Bloom period
Blitum californicum blooms Mar--Sep.
How to tell it apart
vs Chenopodiastrum: Chenopodium has mealy coating; Chenopodiastrum is smooth to slightly hairy without mealy texture.; vs Atriplex: Chenopodium has perfect flowers; Atriplex has separate male/female flowers with paired bracts on fruits.; vs Blitum: Chenopodium has dry fruits; Blitum has fleshy, berry-like fruiting calyxes.; vs Amaranthus: Chenopodium has mealy coating; Amaranthus is smooth with dense bristly flower spikes.; vs Rumex: Chenopodium has 5-parted flowers in clusters; Rumex has 6-parted flowers in whorls.
Frequently asked questions
Is Blitum californicum native to California?
Yes. Blitum californicum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Blitum californicum bloom?
Blitum californicum blooms Mar--Sep.
Where in California does Blitum californicum grow?
Blitum californicum occurs in Kern, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, San Diego, Santa Clara, Riverside, Lake and other counties, at elevations of < 2000 m.
What plant family does Blitum californicum belong to?
Blitum californicum is in the Amaranthaceae family, genus Blitum.
What habitat does Blitum californicum grow in?
Blitum californicum grows in Generally open sites, sandy to clay soils.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-08
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.