Clintonia andrewsiana
Andrew's clintonia
(c) Tom Hilton, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Tom Hilton · licence
Family: Liliaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Clintonia andrewsiana (Andrew's clintonia) is a native California herb in the Liliaceae family, recognized by key differences are leaf size, flower number, and habitat elevation.
Andrew's clintonia is a California native perennial found in northwestern California, central Coast Ranges, western San Francisco Bay Area, and northern southern Coast Ranges in shaded, damp redwood forest at elevations below 400 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces delicate white to cream-colored flowers in terminal and lateral umbels, with individual flowers 10 to 18 millimeters long. Growing with a robust rhizomatous base and erect stems, it develops broad elliptical leaves reaching 15 to 30 centimeters long and 5 to 12 centimeters wide. Its leaves are slightly hairy and typically grow in clusters of five, with soft textural qualities that complement the plant's graceful structure. The fruit is a compact berry measuring 8 to 12 millimeters in length, adding subtle ornamental interest to this understory woodland species.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species; key differences are leaf size, flower number, and habitat elevation
Habitat and range
Habitat: Shaded, damp redwood forest
Elevation: < 400 m
California counties: Humboldt, Santa Cruz, Sonoma, San Mateo, Del Norte, Marin, Mendocino, Monterey, Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, San Diego
Outside California: southwestern Oregon
Bloom period
Clintonia andrewsiana blooms May-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Fritillaria: Clintonia flowers stand upright and produce berries; Fritillaria flowers droop and produce dry capsules.; vs Platanthera: Clintonia has broad basal leaves and small flower clusters; Platanthera has narrow leaves and tall flower spikes.; vs Lilium: Clintonia has basal leaves and produces berries; Lilium has stem leaves and produces dry capsules.; vs Tulipa: Clintonia has multiple small flowers and produces berries; Tulipa has one large flower and produces dry capsules.; vs Streptopus: Clintonia flowers are in terminal umbels from basal leaves; Streptopus flowers hang from leaf joints on leafy stems.
Frequently asked questions
Is Clintonia andrewsiana native to California?
Yes. Clintonia andrewsiana is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Clintonia andrewsiana bloom?
Clintonia andrewsiana blooms May-Jul.
Where in California does Clintonia andrewsiana grow?
Clintonia andrewsiana occurs in Humboldt, Santa Cruz, Sonoma, San Mateo, Del Norte, Marin, Mendocino, Monterey and other counties, at elevations of < 400 m.
What plant family does Clintonia andrewsiana belong to?
Clintonia andrewsiana is in the Liliaceae family, genus Clintonia.
What habitat does Clintonia andrewsiana grow in?
Clintonia andrewsiana grows in Shaded, damp redwood 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.