Doellingeria tomentella
Brickellbush aster, Brickellbush Aster
(c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Trevor Van Loon · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Doellingeria tomentella (Brickellbush aster) is a native California perennial in the Asteraceae family, recognized by distinctive dense abaxial leaf tomentum vs less hairy congeners.
Brickellbush aster is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges and northern Coast Ranges in open oak and conifer woodland at elevations of 1,300 to 2,400 meters. Flowering from July to October, this plant produces pale violet ray flowers with discoid or few-rayed flower heads arranged in cyme-like clusters. Growing with stems 40 to 90 centimeters tall and densely covered in fine, soft white hairs, it has a distinctive wooly appearance. Its leaves are lanceolate to elliptic, 3 to 6 centimeters long, with a somewhat dense white-woolly underside and relatively smooth upper surface. The flower heads feature unequal phyllaries with green midveins and tips that range from green to purple, creating a subtle color variation.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 4 sympatric species; distinctive dense abaxial leaf tomentum vs less hairy congeners
Habitat and range
Habitat: Uncommon. Open oak or conifer woodland, rocky places
Elevation: 1300-2400 m
California counties: Siskiyou, Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino, Butte, Glenn, Trinity, Shasta
Outside California: southern Oregon
Bloom period
Doellingeria tomentella blooms Jul-Oct.
Frequently asked questions
Is Doellingeria tomentella native to California?
Yes. Doellingeria tomentella is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Doellingeria tomentella bloom?
Doellingeria tomentella blooms Jul-Oct.
Where in California does Doellingeria tomentella grow?
Doellingeria tomentella occurs in Siskiyou, Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino, Butte, Glenn, Trinity, Shasta, at elevations of 1300-2400 m.
What plant family does Doellingeria tomentella belong to?
Doellingeria tomentella is in the Asteraceae family, genus Doellingeria.
What habitat does Doellingeria tomentella grow in?
Doellingeria tomentella grows in Uncommon. Open oak or conifer woodland, rocky places.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.