Dieteria asteroides var. lagunensis

Mount laguna aster, Mount Laguna Aster

Family: Asteraceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 2B.1

Mount laguna aster is a rare (CNPS 2B.1) California native perennial found in the Peninsular Ranges of the Laguna Mountains in San Diego County in chaparral, oak woodland, and lower montane forest at elevations of 800 to 2,400 meters. Flowering from July to October, this plant produces white to lavender flowers in daisy-like heads with narrow ray petals. Growing with slender stems 20 to 50 centimeters tall, it forms a compact clump with multiple flowering branches. Its mid-stem leaves are narrow, 2 to 5 millimeters wide, with entire or slightly toothed edges, arranged alternately along the stems. The flower heads have involucres with distinctively acute phyllary tips 1 to 3 millimeters long, giving the plant a delicate and refined appearance.

Habitat: Chaparral, oak woodland, lower montane forest

Bloom period: Jul-Oct

Elevation: 800-2400 m

Bioregions: PR (Laguna Mtns, San Diego Co.)

California counties: San Diego, San Bernardino

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