Chlorogalum angustifolium
Narrow-leaved soap plant
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Family: Agavaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Chlorogalum angustifolium (Narrow-leaved soap plant) is a native California herb in the Agavaceae family.
Narrow-leaved soap plant is a California native perennial found in the North Coast Ranges, North Coast Interior, Cache Creek region, northern Sierra Nevada, Sacramento Valley, and Southern California Coast in grassland and woodland at elevations below 500 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces white flowers with green-yellow midveins, 8 to 12 millimeters long, arranged on slender branches. Growing 30 to 70 centimeters tall with an ascending branching pattern, it emerges from a small red-brown bulb with delicate fibrous outer layers. Its leaves are distinctively narrow, 2 to 5 millimeters wide with nearly flat margins, emerging from the base of the plant. The fruit is small, measuring 1.5 to 3 millimeters in length.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 3 sympatric species; key differentiators are leaf width and heterostylous flowers
Habitat and range
Habitat: Heavy soils in grassland or woodland
Elevation: < 500 m
California counties: Tehama, Calaveras, Yuba, Butte, Shasta, Tuolumne, Lake, Mendocino, Merced, Madera, Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Solano, Placer, Siskiyou, Sutter, Sacramento, Mariposa, Fresno, Amador, Stanislaus, Santa Barbara, Napa
Outside California: southern Oregon
Bloom period
Chlorogalum angustifolium blooms Apr-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Hooveria: Chlorogalum has branching flower clusters; Hooveria has unbranched racemes.; vs Toxicoscordion: Chlorogalum petals twist together after flowering; death camas petals remain separate.; vs Iris: Chlorogalum has small white flowers in branching clusters; iris has large showy flowers with three drooping petals.; vs Yucca: Chlorogalum has thin wavy-edged leaves and open branching clusters; yucca has stiff sword-leaves and dense clusters.; vs Asparagus: Chlorogalum has wavy-edged leaves from a bulb; asparagus has needle-like leaf scales on branching stems.
Frequently asked questions
Is Chlorogalum angustifolium native to California?
Yes. Chlorogalum angustifolium is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Chlorogalum angustifolium bloom?
Chlorogalum angustifolium blooms Apr-Jul.
Where in California does Chlorogalum angustifolium grow?
Chlorogalum angustifolium occurs in Tehama, Calaveras, Yuba, Butte, Shasta, Tuolumne, Lake, Mendocino and other counties, at elevations of < 500 m.
What plant family does Chlorogalum angustifolium belong to?
Chlorogalum angustifolium is in the Agavaceae family, genus Chlorogalum.
What habitat does Chlorogalum angustifolium grow in?
Chlorogalum angustifolium grows in Heavy soils in grassland or woodland.
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.