Castilleja ambigua
Johnny-nip
(c) Simone Littledale, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Orobanchaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Castilleja ambigua (Johnny-nip) is a native California herb in the Orobanchaceae family.
Johnny-nip is a California native annual herb found in coastal and interior regions in coastal prairie, grassland, and coastal scrub habitats at low elevations. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces pale yellow or rose-purple flowers with yellow to rose-purple bracts, creating delicate and colorful inflorescences up to 4 centimeters wide. Growing 10 to 30 centimeters tall with a much-branched, decumbent form and soft puberulent stems, it spreads across the landscape with a distinctive growth pattern. Its leaves are 10 to 50 millimeters long, lanceolate to oblong, with 0 to 5 subtle lobes that provide a delicate texture to the plant. The flowers feature a distinctive pale yellow or rose-purple corolla with a 4 to 5 millimeter straight beak and purple-dotted pouches at the base.
Habitat and range
California counties: Nevada, Mendocino, San Mateo, Marin, Sonoma, Monterey, Napa, Santa Cruz, Humboldt
How to tell it apart
vs Triphysaria: Castilleja lacks the sharp fold in flower throat; Triphysaria has abrupt crease above lower lip.; vs Trifolium: Castilleja has tubular flowers with colorful bracts; Trifolium has round heads of pea-like flowers and three leaflets.; vs Pedicularis: Castilleja has open forward beak and colorful bracts; Pedicularis has closed hood and fern-like leaves.; vs Orthocarpus: Castilleja has open beak you can see into; Orthocarpus has closed hood covering stamens completely.; vs Epilobium: Castilleja has tubular two-lipped flowers and colorful bracts; Epilobium has four separate petals arranged in cross.
Frequently asked questions
Is Castilleja ambigua native to California?
Yes. Castilleja ambigua is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Castilleja ambigua grow?
Castilleja ambigua occurs in Nevada, Mendocino, San Mateo, Marin, Sonoma, Monterey, Napa, Santa Cruz and other counties.
What plant family does Castilleja ambigua belong to?
Castilleja ambigua is in the Orobanchaceae family, genus Castilleja.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Castilleja ambigua subsp. ambigua — johnny-nip
- Castilleja ambigua subsp. humboldtiensis — Humboldt bay owl's-clover
- Castilleja ambigua subsp. insalutata — pink Johnny-nip
- Castilleja ambigua var. heckardii — Heckard's owl's- clover
- Castilleja ambigua var. meadii — Mead's owls- clover
- Castilleja angustifolia var. flavescens — northwestern paintbrush
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · 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.