Ericameria arborescens
Golden-fleece
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Family: Asteraceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Ericameria arborescens (Golden-fleece) is a native California shrub in the Asteraceae family, recognized by large size and dense crown form.
Golden-fleece is a California native shrub found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, Sierra Nevada Foothills, southern Sierra Nevada, San Francisco Bay Area, southern Coast Ranges, and Transverse Ranges in woodland, open forest, and chaparral at elevations generally below 1,700 meters. Flowering from August to November, this plant produces yellow flowers in dense, flat-topped clusters at branch tips. Growing up to 5 meters tall with a dense, rounded, leafy crown, it forms a distinctive rounded shape with glabrous or sparsely hairy stems. Its leaves are thread-like to linear, 25 to 90 millimeters long, with sparse gland-dotted pits and acute tips. The fruit is 2 to 3 millimeters long, narrowly top-shaped, and covered in dense appressed hairs.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 23 sympatric species; large size and dense crown form are diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Woodland, open forest, chaparral, especially after fire
Elevation: generally < 1700 m (< 2900 m in SNH)
Bloom period
Ericameria arborescens blooms Aug-Nov.
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 arborescens native to California?
Yes. Ericameria arborescens is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Ericameria arborescens bloom?
Ericameria arborescens blooms Aug-Nov.
What plant family does Ericameria arborescens belong to?
Ericameria arborescens is in the Asteraceae family, genus Ericameria.
What habitat does Ericameria arborescens grow in?
Ericameria arborescens grows in Woodland, open forest, chaparral, especially after fire.
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.