Buddleja saligna
False olive, False Olive
(c) Shaun Swanepoel, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Scrophulariaceae · Type: Shrub / Tree · Not Native
Buddleja saligna (False olive) is a non-native California shrub / tree in the Scrophulariaceae family, recognized by narrow leaves and wide flower clusters.
False olive is a naturalized shrub found in the Santa Monica Mountains and Santa Barbara regions in disturbed areas and chaparral at elevations of 500 to 1,000 meters. Flowering from September to October, this plant produces white or cream-colored flowers with occasional reddish centers, arranged in wide-spreading panicle-like clusters. Growing as a small tree or shrub up to 10 meters tall with distinctively four-angled twigs, it features elongated branches with a spreading habit. Its leaves are linear to oblong, 1.5 to 10 centimeters long, with a shiny olive-green upper surface and dense white stellate hairs underneath, with margins slightly rolled under. The fruit is a small ovoid structure about 2 millimeters long, which remains nestled in the persistent calyx.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 0 sympatric species; distinguished by narrow leaves and wide flower clusters
Habitat and range
Habitat: Disturbed areas, chaparral
Elevation: 500-1000 m
Outside California: native to South Africa
Bloom period
Buddleja saligna blooms Sep-Oct.
How to tell it apart
vs Salvia: Buddleja has 4 stamens and densely hairy leaves; Salvia has 2 stamens and square stems.; vs Artemisia: Buddleja has showy tubular flowers; Artemisia has tiny inconspicuous flower heads.; vs Lantana: Buddleja flowers have united petals in a tube; Lantana flowers sit separately in flat-topped clusters.; vs Ceanothus: Buddleja has fuzzy opposite leaves and tubular flowers; Ceanothus has alternate leaves and tiny flowers.; vs Syringa: Buddleja flowers have 4 stamens and open salverform corollas; Syringa has 2 stamens and denser panicles.
Frequently asked questions
Is Buddleja saligna native to California?
No. Buddleja saligna is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Buddleja saligna bloom?
Buddleja saligna blooms Sep-Oct.
What plant family does Buddleja saligna belong to?
Buddleja saligna is in the Scrophulariaceae family, genus Buddleja.
What habitat does Buddleja saligna grow in?
Buddleja saligna grows in Disturbed areas, chaparral.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · 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.