Caulanthus inflatus
Desert candle
(c) Annie's Annuals & Perennials, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Caulanthus inflatus (Desert candle) is a native California herb in the Brassicaceae family, recognized by inflated glaucous stem with purple wavy-margined petals diagnostic.
Desert candle is a California native annual found in southern Sierra Nevada foothills, western Central Valley edges, Santa Cruz Mountains, northern Transverse Ranges, and southwestern Mojave Desert in open, sandy soil at elevations of 150 to 1,500 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces purple flowers with wavy petal margins approximately 9 to 14 millimeters long. Growing 1.5 to 9.7 decimeters tall with an unusual inflated stem that is glaucous and either simple or occasionally branched, it develops distinctive erect stems. Its leaves range from basal rosette forms 2 to 18 centimeters long and obovate to oblanceolate to cauline leaves that are sessile, strongly lobed, and clasping at the base. The ascending fruit is cylindric, measuring 3.5 to 12.7 centimeters long with a tiny style and strongly two-lobed stigma.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 9 sympatric species; inflated glaucous stem with purple wavy-margined petals diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open, sandy soil; Mojave Desert plains and north facing slopes, south facing slopes elsewhere
Elevation: 150-1500 m
California counties: Kern, San Bernardino, Lassen, Fresno, Inyo, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Benito, Merced, Kings
Bloom period
Caulanthus inflatus blooms Mar-May.
How to tell it apart
vs Streptanthus: Seed pods are cylindrical and round versus flattened blade-like pods in Streptanthus.; vs Sisymbrium: Petals are distinctively crinkled and papery versus smooth petals in Sisymbrium.; vs Hirschfeldia: Young pods reflex sharply downward versus pointing upward or outward.; vs Boechera: Pods reflex downward and contain wingless seeds versus erect pods with winged seeds.; vs Brassica: Young seed pods bend sharply downward versus pointing upward in Brassica.
Frequently asked questions
Is Caulanthus inflatus native to California?
Yes. Caulanthus inflatus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Caulanthus inflatus bloom?
Caulanthus inflatus blooms Mar-May.
Where in California does Caulanthus inflatus grow?
Caulanthus inflatus occurs in Kern, San Bernardino, Lassen, Fresno, Inyo, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Luis Obispo and other counties, at elevations of 150-1500 m.
What plant family does Caulanthus inflatus belong to?
Caulanthus inflatus is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Caulanthus.
What habitat does Caulanthus inflatus grow in?
Caulanthus inflatus grows in Open, sandy soil; Mojave Desert plains and north facing slopes, south facing slopes elsewhere.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.