Collinsia torreyi var. wrightii
Wright's blue eyed mary
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Family: Plantaginaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Collinsia torreyi var. wrightii (Wright's blue eyed mary) is a native California herb in the Plantaginaceae family, recognized by smaller corolla size diagnostic.
Wright's blue eyed mary is a California native annual found in northern Coast Ranges, high Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, Tehachapi Mountains, Transverse Ranges, and Warner Mountains in conifer forest, often in sandy, granitic soil at elevations of 800 to 4,000 meters. Flowering from May to August, this delicate plant produces small blue and white flowers approximately 4 to 6 millimeters long with distinctive two-toned coloration. Growing with slender stems typically 10 to 30 centimeters tall, it develops an upright, often branching form. Its leaves are distinctively elongated, generally more than 5 times longer than wide, ranging from linear to elliptic in shape. In rocky, well-drained mountain conifer habitats, this graceful annual creates delicate patches of blue and white during its summer blooming period.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 21 sympatric species; smaller corolla size diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Conifer forest, often in sandy, granitic soil
Elevation: 800-4000 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Amador, Tulare, Mono, Alpine, El Dorado, Inyo, Kern, Tehama, Modoc, Mariposa, Ventura, Placer, Fresno, Mendocino, Shasta, Trinity, Tuolumne, Nevada, Calaveras, Plumas, Lake, Butte, Glenn, Sierra, Humboldt, Colusa, Siskiyou, Madera, Lassen, Santa Barbara, Sacramento
Bloom period
Collinsia torreyi var. wrightii blooms May-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Penstemon: Collinsia has stamens hidden in keeled lower lip; Penstemon has stamens visible with one sterile 'beard.'; vs Stachys: Collinsia has a keeled lower petal hiding stamens; Stachys has square stems and flowers in tight whorls.; vs Lupinus: Collinsia has snapdragon-like flowers; Lupinus has pea-family flowers with banner, wings, and keel.; vs Linaria: Collinsia has keeled lower lip hiding stamens; Linaria has spurred flowers with protruding stamens.
Frequently asked questions
Is Collinsia torreyi var. wrightii native to California?
Yes. Collinsia torreyi var. wrightii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Collinsia torreyi var. wrightii bloom?
Collinsia torreyi var. wrightii blooms May-Aug.
Where in California does Collinsia torreyi var. wrightii grow?
Collinsia torreyi var. wrightii occurs in San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Amador, Tulare, Mono, Alpine, El Dorado, Inyo and other counties, at elevations of 800-4000 m.
What plant family does Collinsia torreyi var. wrightii belong to?
Collinsia torreyi var. wrightii is in the Plantaginaceae family, genus Collinsia.
What habitat does Collinsia torreyi var. wrightii grow in?
Collinsia torreyi var. wrightii grows in Conifer forest, often in sandy, granitic soil.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Collinsia wakahlmae — Merced river collinsia
- Collinsia wrightii — Torrey's blue eyed mary
- Collinsia antonina — San antonio collinsia
- Collinsia bartsiifolia — White blue eyed mary
- Collinsia bartsiifolia var. bartsiifolia — White blue eyed mary
- Collinsia bartsiifolia var. davidsonii — Davidson's blue eyed mary
- Cymbalaria muralis — Kenilworth ivy
- Cymbalaria sp.
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.