Clarkia gracilis subsp. gracilis
(c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Ken-ichi Ueda · licence
Family: Onagraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Clarkia gracilis subsp. gracilis is a native California herb in the Onagraceae family, recognized by stigma not exserted and spotless petals help distinguish from related subspecies.
Slender clarkia is a California native annual found in northwestern California, northern Sierra Nevada foothills, Sacramento Valley, San Francisco Bay Area, and Modoc Plateau in woodland openings and forest margins at elevations below 1,500 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces delicate pink to lavender flowers with petals 6 to 23 millimeters long, often featuring a darker base. Growing with slender, upright stems typically 20 to 50 centimeters tall, it has a delicate and graceful appearance. Its leaves are narrow and elongated, arranged alternately along the stem, providing a subtle backdrop to the elegant flower display. The plant completes its lifecycle quickly in open woodland environments, creating brief but beautiful displays during the spring and early summer months.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 53 sympatric species; stigma not exserted and spotless petals help distinguish from related subspecies
Habitat and range
Habitat: Common. Openings in woodland, forest
Elevation: < 1500 m
California counties: Napa, Butte, Tehama, Trinity, Siskiyou, Modoc, Marin, El Dorado, Yolo, Alameda, Lake, Colusa, Santa Clara, Sonoma, Mendocino, Yuba, Humboldt, Sutter, Placer, Shasta, Calaveras, Contra Costa, Lassen, Nevada, Sierra, Tuolumne, Plumas, Glenn, San Luis Obispo
Outside California: to Washington
Bloom period
Clarkia gracilis subsp. gracilis blooms Apr-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Epilobium: Clarkia seeds lack a hair tuft and its petals are broad, often clawed or lobed; Epilobium and Chamerion have seeds bearing a tuft of silky hairs and long, thin capsules.; vs Oenothera: Clarkia flowers are pink to lavender-purple and its buds nod before opening; Oenothera flowers are generally yellow (or white), larger, and open at dusk.; vs Camissonia: Clarkia petals are pink-purple, often fan-shaped or lobed with a distinct claw; Camissonia and Camissoniopsis have yellow, unlobed petals.; vs Sidalcea: Clarkia has 4 petals, an inferior ovary, and a 4-lobed stigma; Sidalcea (checkerbloom) has 5 petals, a superior ovary, and a central mallow staminal column.; vs Gayophytum: Clarkia is showy with petals 10-35 mm; Gayophytum has minute white-to-pink flowers only a few mm across on thread-like branches.
Frequently asked questions
Is Clarkia gracilis subsp. gracilis native to California?
Yes. Clarkia gracilis subsp. gracilis is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Clarkia gracilis subsp. gracilis bloom?
Clarkia gracilis subsp. gracilis blooms Apr-Jul.
Where in California does Clarkia gracilis subsp. gracilis grow?
Clarkia gracilis subsp. gracilis occurs in Napa, Butte, Tehama, Trinity, Siskiyou, Modoc, Marin, El Dorado and other counties, at elevations of < 1500 m.
What plant family does Clarkia gracilis subsp. gracilis belong to?
Clarkia gracilis subsp. gracilis is in the Onagraceae family, genus Clarkia.
What habitat does Clarkia gracilis subsp. gracilis grow in?
Clarkia gracilis subsp. gracilis grows in Common. Openings in woodland, forest.
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.