Ericameria albida
White-flowered rabbitbrush
(c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Steve Matson · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.2
Ericameria albida (White-flowered rabbitbrush) is a native California shrub in the Asteraceae family, recognized by white flowers.
White-flowered rabbitbrush is a native shrub found in the northern Mojave Desert and eastern Sierra Nevada in saline or alkaline soils at elevations of 300 to 1,300 meters. Flowering from August to November, this plant produces white disk flowers in dense, compact clusters that create distinctive rounded flower heads. Growing 3 to 15 decimeters tall with glabrous stems, it forms a resinous shrub with a compact, rounded shape. Its leaves are linear, nearly cylindrical, and gland-dotted, measuring 2 to 3.5 centimeters long with a glaucous green appearance. The plant produces small, hairy fruits 4 to 5 millimeters long with a white pappus slightly shorter than its flower corolla.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 23 sympatric species; white flowers are diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Saline or alkaline soils
Elevation: 300-1300 m
California counties: Mono, Inyo, San Bernardino
Outside California: to western Utah
Bloom period
Ericameria albida blooms Aug-Nov.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.2
How to tell it apart
vs Isocoma: Ericameria has bracts in 5 vertical rows; Isocoma has randomly arranged bracts.; vs Chrysothamnus: Ericameria has woolly young stems and deep pitted glands; Chrysothamnus has smooth/slightly fuzzy stems and surface glands or none.; vs Baccharis: Ericameria has yellow bisexual flowers in each head; Baccharis has separate male/female plants with whitish flowers.; vs Artemisia: Ericameria has yellow flowers and gland-dotted leaves; Artemisia has greenish flowers and aromatic gray-hairy leaves.; vs Lepidospartum: Ericameria has small narrow leaves; Lepidospartum has scale-like leaves on green rush-like stems.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ericameria albida native to California?
Yes. Ericameria albida is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Ericameria albida bloom?
Ericameria albida blooms Aug-Nov.
Where in California does Ericameria albida grow?
Ericameria albida occurs in Mono, Inyo, San Bernardino, at elevations of 300-1300 m.
What plant family does Ericameria albida belong to?
Ericameria albida is in the Asteraceae family, genus Ericameria.
Is Ericameria albida rare or endangered?
Ericameria albida carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.2, state rank S3.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
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.