Eriastrum densifolium subsp. densifolium

Perennial woolly-star

Family: Polemoniaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Perennial woolly-star is a California native perennial found in southern Central Coast bioregions on coastal dunes and dune-to-chaparral transition zones at elevations of 0 to 60 meters. Flowering from June to July, this plant produces white, pale yellow, purple, or pink flowers with bright blue lobes in dense heads 1 to 3 centimeters wide. Growing with erect or spreading woody stems 20 to 30 centimeters tall, it features distinctive axillary short-shoots that appear as fascicles of compact leaves. Its leaves range 12 to 37 millimeters long, typically glabrous and either entire or divided into 3 to 7 lobes. The plant's flowers are particularly notable for stamens that extend 4 to 6 millimeters beyond the corolla and bright blue flower lobes with darker veins.

Habitat: Coastal dunes, transition between dune scrub and coastal chaparral

Bloom period: Jun-Jul

Elevation: 0-60 m

Bioregions: s CCo.

California counties: San Luis Obispo, Kern, Riverside, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Inyo, San Bernardino, San Diego, Tulare, Monterey, Ventura

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