Downingia montana
Sierra calicoflower
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Family: Campanulaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Downingia montana (Sierra calicoflower) is a native California herb in the Campanulaceae family, recognized by unequal sepals and knob-like purple projections.
Sierra calicoflower is a California native annual found in northern California Forest (near Redding), northern and central Sierra Nevada in grassy meadows and roadside ditches in pine forest at elevations of 300 to 1,700 meters. Flowering from May to August, this delicate plant produces pale lavender-blue to blue flowers with a central white area featuring two distinctive yellow spots and purple markings near the throat. Growing with slender stems reaching up to 30 centimeters tall, the plant has a delicate, spreading growth habit. Its leaves are narrow and distributed along the stem, providing a subtle backdrop to its intricate flowers. The fruit develops 15 to 35 millimeters long with translucent lines, harboring seeds with distinctive longitudinal markings.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 5 sympatric species; key features are unequal sepals and knob-like purple projections
Habitat and range
Habitat: Grassy meadows, roadside ditches in pine forest
Elevation: 300-1700 m
California counties: Shasta, Siskiyou, El Dorado, Tuolumne, Nevada, Butte, Placer, Calaveras, Mariposa, Yuba, Modoc, Lake
Bloom period
Downingia montana blooms May-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Porterella: Downingia flowers lack yellow ridges; Porterella has two distinctive yellow ridges on the lower lip.; vs Nemacladus: Downingia has showy blue flowers sitting on stem; Nemacladus has threadlike flowers on long stalks.; vs Legenere: Downingia has blue two-lipped flowers; Legenere has small white flowers with nearly equal petals.; vs Lobelia: Downingia is a vernal pool annual; Lobelia is perennial with spherical seed pods.; vs Howellia: Downingia flowers have no stalk; Howellia has short but visible flower stalks 1-8mm long.
Frequently asked questions
Is Downingia montana native to California?
Yes. Downingia montana is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Downingia montana bloom?
Downingia montana blooms May-Aug.
Where in California does Downingia montana grow?
Downingia montana occurs in Shasta, Siskiyou, El Dorado, Tuolumne, Nevada, Butte, Placer, Calaveras and other counties, at elevations of 300-1700 m.
What plant family does Downingia montana belong to?
Downingia montana is in the Campanulaceae family, genus Downingia.
What habitat does Downingia montana grow in?
Downingia montana grows in Grassy meadows, roadside ditches in pine 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.