Claytonia rubra subsp. rubra

Family: Montiaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Red maids is a California native perennial found in northwestern California (excluding northern coastal regions), the high Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, Tehachapi Mountains, western Central Western California, Transverse Ranges, Peninsular Ranges, and Great Basin in vernally moist dunes, conifer forest, woodland, and scrub at elevations below 2,500 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces delicate white to pink flowers. Growing with slender stems and a low-spreading habit, it forms compact ground-covering clusters. Its distinctive leaves are basal and diamond-shaped to triangular, with a slightly truncate base, while stem leaves are partially fused or free on one side. The plant creates delicate, ephemeral ground covers in moist seasonal habitats across diverse California landscapes.

Habitat: Vernally moist dunes, conifer forest, woodland, scrub

Bloom period: Apr-Jul

Elevation: < 2500 m

Bioregions: NW (exc NCo), CaRH, SNH, Teh, w CW (exc n CCo), TR, PR, GB

California counties: Kern, Riverside, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, San Diego, Lassen, Tehama, Tulare, Ventura, San Luis Obispo, Shasta, Mono, El Dorado, Modoc, Trinity, Marin, Amador, Glenn, Humboldt, Inyo, Mariposa, Monterey, Nevada, Placer, Santa Cruz, Sierra, Sutter, Tuolumne, Yuba, Alpine, Butte, Fresno, Lake, Mendocino, Plumas, Siskiyou, Madera, Santa Clara, San Benito, Santa Barbara

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