Epilobium hallianum
Hall's willowherb
Family: Onagraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Epilobium hallianum (Hall's willowherb) is a native California herb in the Onagraceae family, recognized by bulb-like shoot and leaf shape.
Hall's willowherb is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, San Francisco Bay Area, Transverse Ranges, Peninsular Ranges, and Modoc Plateau in moist meadows and streambanks at elevations of 100 to 3,700 meters. Flowering from June to September, this plant produces white to pink flowers with delicate club-like stigmas. Growing with erect stems 10 to 60 centimeters tall, it has a small underground bulb-like shoot and sparse strigose hair patterns. Its leaves vary from ovate at the base to lanceolate near the top, with ciliate edges and low dentations, measuring 5 to 45 millimeters long. The fruit is elongated, 24 to 60 millimeters long and generally hairy, with pedicels 10 to 40 millimeters in length.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 29 sympatric species, bulb-like shoot and leaf shape help distinguish
Habitat and range
Habitat: Moist meadows, streambanks
Elevation: 100-3700 m
California counties: Tulare, San Bernardino, Alpine, Humboldt, Riverside, Tuolumne, Marin, Lake, Nevada, Glenn, Fresno, Modoc, Trinity, Placer, Plumas, San Diego, Tehama, Shasta, Sonoma, Siskiyou, Calaveras, Lassen, Santa Cruz, Mono, Butte, Sierra, Mendocino, Madera, Mariposa, Inyo, El Dorado, Del Norte, Colusa, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Amador
Outside California: to western Canada, South Dakota, Colorado, Arizona
Bloom period
Epilobium hallianum 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 hallianum native to California?
Yes. Epilobium hallianum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Epilobium hallianum bloom?
Epilobium hallianum blooms Jun-Sep.
Where in California does Epilobium hallianum grow?
Epilobium hallianum occurs in Tulare, San Bernardino, Alpine, Humboldt, Riverside, Tuolumne, Marin, Lake and other counties, at elevations of 100-3700 m.
What plant family does Epilobium hallianum belong to?
Epilobium hallianum is in the Onagraceae family, genus Epilobium.
What habitat does Epilobium hallianum grow in?
Epilobium hallianum grows in Moist meadows, 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.