Clarkia speciosa
Red spotted clarkia
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Family: Onagraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Clarkia speciosa (Red spotted clarkia) is a native California herb in the Onagraceae family.
Red spotted clarkia is a California native annual found in open grasslands and woodland margins at elevations of 300 to 1,500 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces lavender to deep wine-red flowers with pale yellow or white bases, fan-shaped and 1 to 2.5 centimeters long. Growing with slender stems up to 60 centimeters tall that are finely downy, it forms delicate upright branching clusters. Its leaves have narrow petioles up to 5 millimeters long with blades 1 to 6 centimeters in length, arranged alternately along the stem. The flower buds are held erectly on a straight axis, creating an elegant and distinctive silhouette.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated from all other Clarkia species
Habitat and range
California counties: Kern, San Luis Obispo, Tulare, Fresno, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Madera, Monterey, San Mateo, Merced
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 speciosa native to California?
Yes. Clarkia speciosa is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Clarkia speciosa grow?
Clarkia speciosa occurs in Kern, San Luis Obispo, Tulare, Fresno, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Madera, Monterey and other counties.
What plant family does Clarkia speciosa belong to?
Clarkia speciosa is in the Onagraceae family, genus Clarkia.
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.