Epilobium clavatum
Club fruit willowherb
(c) J Straka, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Onagraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Epilobium clavatum (Club fruit willowherb) is a native California herb in the Onagraceae family, recognized by but high elevation habitat and thick pods diagnostic.
Club fruit willowherb is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern California Ranges, and northern Sierra Nevada Mountains in subalpine scree and rocky streambanks at elevations of 1,200 to 4,200 meters. Flowering from June to September, this plant produces rose-purple to pink flowers with distinctive club-like stigmas. Growing with ascending stems less than 22 centimeters tall, it forms clustered bunches with wiry, leafy stolons. Its leaves are small, 8 to 28 millimeters long, ovate to nearly elliptic with short or absent petioles. The fruit is 17 to 40 millimeters long and generally sparsely hairy, giving the plant its distinctive "club fruit" name.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 26 sympatric species but high elevation habitat and thick pods diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Subalpine scree, rocky streambanks
Elevation: 1200-4200 m
California counties: Mono, Siskiyou, Trinity, Modoc, Alpine, Madera, Nevada
Outside California: to Alaska, Montana, Colorado
Bloom period
Epilobium clavatum blooms Jun-Sep.
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 clavatum native to California?
Yes. Epilobium clavatum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Epilobium clavatum bloom?
Epilobium clavatum blooms Jun-Sep.
Where in California does Epilobium clavatum grow?
Epilobium clavatum occurs in Mono, Siskiyou, Trinity, Modoc, Alpine, Madera, Nevada, at elevations of 1200-4200 m.
What plant family does Epilobium clavatum belong to?
Epilobium clavatum is in the Onagraceae family, genus Epilobium.
What habitat does Epilobium clavatum grow in?
Epilobium clavatum grows in Subalpine scree, rocky streambanks.
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.