Downingia pulcherrima

Calicoflower

Family: Campanulaceae · Type: annual · Native

Calicoflower is a California native annual found in the Klamath Ranges and Cascade Range in edges of lakes, ponds, vernal pools, and roadside ditches at elevations of 500 to 1,560 meters. Flowering from April to July, this delicate plant produces distinctive blue and white flowers about 7 to 10 millimeters long, with a lower lip featuring a white central area adorned with two yellow spots flanked by three purple spots near the throat. Growing with slender stems reaching up to 30 centimeters tall, the plant has a delicate and intricate structure. Its leaves are arranged to complement the unique flower shape, contributing to the plant's overall elegant appearance. The fruit develops to 20 to 30 millimeters long with thin lateral walls that can easily fracture.

Habitat: Edges of lakes, ponds, vernal pools, roadside ditches

Bloom period: Apr-Jul

Elevation: 500-1560 m

Bioregions: KR, CaR

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