Ericameria ericoides
Mock heather, california goldenbush, California Goldenbush
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Ericameria ericoides (Mock heather) is a native California shrub in the Asteraceae family, recognized by heather-like appearance and coastal/sandy habitat.
Mock heather is a California native shrub found in southern North Coast, southern San Joaquin Valley (Cuyama Valley), central western California, and central southern coastal regions in dunes and inland sandy soils at elevations below 600 meters. Flowering from September to November, this plant produces yellow flowers in radiate heads arranged in panicle-like clusters. Growing up to 2 meters tall with lightly puberulent stems, it forms distinctive fan-shaped axillary leaf clusters. Its leaves are crowded, cylindric, 3 to 18 millimeters long, with a grooved upper surface and gland-dotted pits. The fruit is cylindric, up to 4 millimeters long, with 8 to 10 ribs and a white to tan pappus.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 15 sympatric species; heather-like appearance and coastal/sandy habitat
Habitat and range
Habitat: Dunes, inland sandy soils
Elevation: < 600 m
Bloom period
Ericameria ericoides blooms Sep-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 ericoides native to California?
Yes. Ericameria ericoides is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Ericameria ericoides bloom?
Ericameria ericoides blooms Sep-Nov.
What plant family does Ericameria ericoides belong to?
Ericameria ericoides is in the Asteraceae family, genus Ericameria.
What habitat does Ericameria ericoides grow in?
Ericameria ericoides grows in Dunes, inland sandy soils.
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.