Dieteria canescens var. canescens

Hoary aster

Family: Asteraceae · Type: perennial · Native

Hoary aster is a California native perennial herb found in the northern California Ranges, Sierra Nevada, eastern Southern California, Transverse Ranges, San Jacinto Mountains, Great Basin, and eastern Mojave Desert regions in open montane areas at elevations of 2,000 to 3,000 meters. Flowering from July to September, this plant produces ray flowers with heads 6 to 12 millimeters long, spreading up to 15 millimeters when pressed. Growing with stems 1 to 5 decimeters tall that spread or grow erect, it has loosely spreading to ascending branches. Its leaves and branches are distinctively hoary or grayish, with stems that branch widely and create an open, airy structure. The flower heads feature multiple series of phyllaries, creating a complex and textured appearance typical of aster-like plants.

Habitat: Open montane areas

Bloom period: Jul-Sep

Elevation: 2000-3000 m

Bioregions: CaR, SN, e SCo, TR, SnJt, GB, DMoj

California counties: Mono, San Bernardino, Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, San Diego, Tulare, Plumas, Alpine, Fresno, Madera, Nevada, Siskiyou, Tuolumne, Ventura, El Dorado, Lassen, Sierra, Trinity, Santa Clara, Modoc, Imperial, Riverside, Amador

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