Clarkia gracilis subsp. tracyi

Tracy's clarkia, Tracy's Clarkia

Family: Onagraceae · Type: annual · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 4.2

Tracy's clarkia is a California native annual found in the northern California Coast Ranges in serpentine soils at elevations of 100 to 500 meters. Flowering from May to July, this delicate plant produces pink-lavender flowers with a distinctive red base, petals measuring 20 to 30 millimeters long. Growing with slender stems reaching up to 30 to 50 centimeters tall, it has a graceful, upright habit typical of clarkia species. Its leaves are narrow and lance-shaped, arranged alternately along the stem, providing a soft green backdrop to the vibrant flowers. The plant's unique adaptation to serpentine soils makes it a specialized and intriguing member of California's native flora.

Habitat: Generally serpentine soil

Bloom period: May-Jul

Elevation: 100-500 m

Bioregions: NCoRI.

California counties: Humboldt, Napa, Lake, Colusa, Tehama, Mendocino

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.