Claytonia lanceolata
Western spring beauty, Western Spring Beauty
(c) Walter Siegmund, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Montiaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Claytonia lanceolata (Western spring beauty) is a native California herb in the Montiaceae family, recognized by tuberous root and paired 3-nerved cauline leaves diagnostic.
Western spring beauty is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, California Ranges, northern Sierra Nevada, San Gabriel Mountains, San Bernardino Mountains, Modoc Plateau, and Panamint Range in sheltered, moist openings of mixed conifer or subalpine forest at elevations of 600 to 2,800 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces white to pale pink flowers with faint to strong pink veins, 5 to 12 millimeters long with slightly notched tips. Growing with erect stems 4.5 to 13.5 centimeters tall, it emerges from a small spherical brown tuberous root. Its cauline leaves are lance-linear to lance-ovate, 17 to 43 millimeters long and 3 to 7 millimeters wide, generally light to dark green. The fruit is 3.5 to 4.5 millimeters long, containing a single shiny, round seed.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 22 sympatric species; tuberous root and paired 3-nerved cauline leaves diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sheltered, moist openings of mixed conifer or subalpine forest, generally on north-facing, stony slopes of alkali-rich rocks (e.g. granite, rhyolite) and soils from these parent materials with some organic content
Elevation: 600-2800 m
California counties: Lassen, Madera, Mendocino, Modoc, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, El Dorado, Tulare, Alpine, Inyo, Placer, Mariposa, Nevada, Stanislaus, Butte, Humboldt, Trinity, Tuolumne, San Bernardino, San Benito, Del Norte
Outside California: to western Canada, Montana, Colorado, New Mexico
Bloom period
Claytonia lanceolata blooms Apr-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Montia: Claytonia has just 2 stem leaves opposite or fused; Montia has multiple stem leaves arranged alternately.; vs Stellaria: Claytonia has 2 broad stem leaves and 5 petals; Stellaria has many narrow opposite leaves and deeply notched petals.; vs Hydrocotyle: Claytonia has 5-petaled flowers above paired stem leaves; Hydrocotyle has round shield-like leaves and tiny flower clusters.; vs Lewisia: Claytonia has thin leaves on upright stems in moist areas; Lewisia forms succulent rosettes on rocky cliffs.; vs Dichondra: Claytonia has upright stems with 5-petaled flowers; Dichondra is a creeping plant with kidney-shaped leaves.
Frequently asked questions
Is Claytonia lanceolata native to California?
Yes. Claytonia lanceolata is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Claytonia lanceolata bloom?
Claytonia lanceolata blooms Apr-Jul.
Where in California does Claytonia lanceolata grow?
Claytonia lanceolata occurs in Lassen, Madera, Mendocino, Modoc, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou and other counties, at elevations of 600-2800 m.
What plant family does Claytonia lanceolata belong to?
Claytonia lanceolata is in the Montiaceae family, genus Claytonia.
What habitat does Claytonia lanceolata grow in?
Claytonia lanceolata grows in Sheltered, moist openings of mixed conifer or subalpine forest, generally on north-facing, stony slopes of alkali-rich rocks (e.g. granite, rhyolite) and soils from these parent materials with some organic content.
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.