Eriastrum virgatum
Wand woolly-star, virgate eriastrum
(c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Polemoniaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.3
Eriastrum virgatum (Wand woolly-star) is a native California herb in the Polemoniaceae family, recognized by wand-like habit and large flowers with long tubes.
Wand woolly-star is a California native annual found in central coastal and northern southern coastal ranges of Monterey and San Benito counties in floodplains, scrub, chaparral, and woodland at elevations of 9 to 550 meters. Flowering from May to June, this plant produces white to pale yellowish flowers with bright blue lobes, sometimes featuring a darker blue or purplish spot at the base, arranged in woolly heads with 3 to 20 flowers. Growing 3 to 40 centimeters tall with an erect, wand-like form that is occasionally branched from the base or above, its stems are lightly woolly. Its leaves range 15 to 50 millimeters long, lightly woolly, and can be entire or have 3 linear to thread-like lobes. The plant produces small capsules 4 to 5.5 millimeters long, containing 2 to 4 gray-brown seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 11 sympatric species; wand-like habit and large flowers with long tubes
Habitat and range
Habitat: Floodplains, hillsides, old dunes, in scrub, chaparral, or woodland
Elevation: 9-550 m
California counties: Monterey, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Ventura, San Benito, San Diego
Bloom period
Eriastrum virgatum blooms May-Jun.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.3
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 virgatum native to California?
Yes. Eriastrum virgatum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Eriastrum virgatum bloom?
Eriastrum virgatum blooms May-Jun.
Where in California does Eriastrum virgatum grow?
Eriastrum virgatum occurs in Monterey, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Ventura, San Benito, San Diego, at elevations of 9-550 m.
What plant family does Eriastrum virgatum belong to?
Eriastrum virgatum is in the Polemoniaceae family, genus Eriastrum.
Is Eriastrum virgatum rare or endangered?
Eriastrum virgatum carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.3, state rank S3.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Eriastrum wilcoxii — Wilcox's woolly-star
- Eriastrum abramsii — Abrams' woolly-star
- Eriastrum brandegeeae — Brandegee's eriastrum
- Eriastrum calocyanum — Pretty blue woolly-star
- Eriastrum densifolium — Perennial woolly-star
- Eriastrum densifolium subsp. austromontanum — Mountain woolly-star
- Gilia achilleifolia — California gilia
- Gilia achilleifolia subsp. achilleifolia
- Gilia achilleifolia subsp. multicaulis
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.