Epilobium ciliatum subsp. glandulosum
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Family: Onagraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Epilobium ciliatum subsp. glandulosum is a native California herb in the Onagraceae family, recognized by habitat and underground shoots help distinguish from similar species.
Glandular willowherb is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern California Coast Ranges, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, Transverse Ranges, and Warner Mountains in often shaded streambanks, seeps, and meadows at elevations below 3,500 meters. Flowering from June to October, this plant produces delicate pink to rose-purple flowers 4 to 14 millimeters long in dense, leafy racemes. Growing with fleshy stems 20 to 110 centimeters tall, it has a distinctive strigose texture with glandular hairs toward the upper portions of the plant. Its leaves are narrowly ovate to ovate, with minimal size reduction from lower to upper stems. The plant's underground shoots are scaly and rarely leafy, contributing to its unique growth habit.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 29 sympatric species, habitat and underground shoots help distinguish from similar species
Habitat and range
Habitat: Often +- shaded streambanks, seeps, meadows
Elevation: < 3500 m
California counties: Los Angeles, Mono, San Bernardino, Plumas, Alpine, Modoc, Siskiyou, Tulare, Tuolumne, Lake, Inyo, Shasta, Riverside, Trinity, Tehama, Fresno, Mariposa, Madera, Humboldt, Placer, El Dorado, Calaveras, Butte, Kern, Nevada, Del Norte, Colusa, Merced, Mendocino, San Mateo, Amador, Yuba, Sierra, Lassen, Napa, Ventura, Marin, Santa Barbara
Outside California: to Alaska, Rocky Mountains, northeastern North America, introduced to northern Europe
Bloom period
Epilobium ciliatum subsp. glandulosum blooms Jun-Oct.
How to tell it apart
vs Penstemon: Epilobium has 4 notched petals and opposite leaves; Penstemon has 5-lobed tubular flowers (snapdragon family).; vs Gambelia: Epilobium has 4 notched petals; Gambelia has 5-lobed tubular snapdragon-like flowers.; vs Fuchsia: Epilobium has notched petals spreading flat; Fuchsia has dangling tubular flowers with protruding stamens.; vs Keckiella: Epilobium has 4 notched petals; Keckiella has 5-lobed tubular snapdragon-like flowers.; vs Diplacus: Epilobium has 4 notched petals; Diplacus has 5-lobed tubular monkey flowers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Epilobium ciliatum subsp. glandulosum native to California?
Yes. Epilobium ciliatum subsp. glandulosum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Epilobium ciliatum subsp. glandulosum bloom?
Epilobium ciliatum subsp. glandulosum blooms Jun-Oct.
Where in California does Epilobium ciliatum subsp. glandulosum grow?
Epilobium ciliatum subsp. glandulosum occurs in Los Angeles, Mono, San Bernardino, Plumas, Alpine, Modoc, Siskiyou, Tulare and other counties, at elevations of < 3500 m.
What plant family does Epilobium ciliatum subsp. glandulosum belong to?
Epilobium ciliatum subsp. glandulosum is in the Onagraceae family, genus Epilobium.
What habitat does Epilobium ciliatum subsp. glandulosum grow in?
Epilobium ciliatum subsp. glandulosum grows in Often +- shaded streambanks, seeps, meadows.
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.