Eriastrum sapphirinum subsp. sapphirinum
Sapphire woolly-star
Photo: parent species Eriastrum sapphirinum · Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Polemoniaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Eriastrum sapphirinum subsp. sapphirinum (Sapphire woolly-star) is a native California herb in the Polemoniaceae family, recognized by few-flowered heads and sapphire-blue petals with yellow-spotted throats.
Sapphire woolly-star is a California native annual found in southwestern California and western desert regions in open grasslands, savannah, scrub, and mixed woodland at elevations of 350 to 2,650 meters. Flowering from May to September, this delicate plant produces stunning sapphire-blue to bluish-lavender flowers with white and yellow patches, often marked with dark purplish spots near the petal bases. Growing 3 to 35 centimeters tall with slender, glandular-hairy stems that are openly branched from the base or above, it forms a graceful, airy structure. Its leaves range from 4 to 44 millimeters long, appearing mostly entire or occasionally with up to 3 lobes, and are sparsely woolly in texture. The plant's distinctive white and yellow-throated flowers feature delicate corolla lobes that highlight its ethereal beauty in California's diverse landscapes.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 23 sympatric species; few-flowered heads and sapphire-blue petals with yellow-spotted throats
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open areas on flats, gentle slopes, banks, disturbed areas, in grassland, savannah, scrub, mixed woodland
Elevation: 350-2650 m
California counties: San Diego, Riverside, Orange, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Kern, Lake, Imperial, Merced, Mono
Outside California: Baja California
Bloom period
Eriastrum sapphirinum subsp. sapphirinum blooms May-Aug(Sep).
How to tell it apart
vs Navarretia: Eriastrum has fluffy white woolly hairs; Navarretia has spine-tipped bracts and leaves without woolly hairs.; vs Gilia: Eriastrum flower clusters are densely woolly-hairy; Gilia flower clusters lack woolly hairs.; vs Loeseliastrum: Eriastrum has woolly tufted hairs and radial flowers; Loeseliastrum has simple hairs and bilateral flowers.; vs Langloisia: Eriastrum has woolly tufted white hairs; Langloisia has stiff branched bristly hairs.; vs Petalonyx: Eriastrum has opposite lobed leaves in Polemoniaceae; Petalonyx has alternate simple leaves in Loasaceae.
Frequently asked questions
Is Eriastrum sapphirinum subsp. sapphirinum native to California?
Yes. Eriastrum sapphirinum subsp. sapphirinum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Eriastrum sapphirinum subsp. sapphirinum bloom?
Eriastrum sapphirinum subsp. sapphirinum blooms May-Aug(Sep).
Where in California does Eriastrum sapphirinum subsp. sapphirinum grow?
Eriastrum sapphirinum subsp. sapphirinum occurs in San Diego, Riverside, Orange, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Kern, Lake, Imperial and other counties, at elevations of 350-2650 m.
What plant family does Eriastrum sapphirinum subsp. sapphirinum belong to?
Eriastrum sapphirinum subsp. sapphirinum is in the Polemoniaceae family, genus Eriastrum.
What habitat does Eriastrum sapphirinum subsp. sapphirinum grow in?
Eriastrum sapphirinum subsp. sapphirinum grows in Open areas on flats, gentle slopes, banks, disturbed areas, in grassland, savannah, scrub, mixed woodland.
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.