Ericameria gilmanii
Gilman's goldenbush
(c) Matt Berger, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Matt Berger · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.3
Ericameria gilmanii (Gilman's goldenbush) is a native California shrub in the Asteraceae family, recognized by white ray flowers and limestone habitat.
Gilman's goldenbush is a rare California native shrub ranked 1B.3 by CNPS, found in the western Inyo Mountains and northern Death Mountains (Panamint Range) in open conifer forest, generally on limestone at elevations of 2,100 to 3,400 meters. Flowering from August to September, this aromatic shrub produces white ray flowers in radiate heads 7 to 12 millimeters wide, arranged in small cyme-like clusters. Growing 20 to 50 centimeters tall with divergent to ascending stems that are glabrous to sparsely hairy and gland-dotted, it develops a distinctive branching structure. Its leaves are oblanceolate or narrowly obovate, 6 to 12 millimeters long, often folded and gland-dotted, with a glabrous surface. The fruit is a 3 to 4 millimeter cylindric structure with 5 ribs, covered in silky hairs.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 18 sympatric species; white ray flowers and limestone habitat
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open conifer forest, generally on limestone
Elevation: 2100-3400 m
Bloom period
Ericameria gilmanii blooms Aug-Sep.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.3
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 gilmanii native to California?
Yes. Ericameria gilmanii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Ericameria gilmanii bloom?
Ericameria gilmanii blooms Aug-Sep.
What plant family does Ericameria gilmanii belong to?
Ericameria gilmanii is in the Asteraceae family, genus Ericameria.
Is Ericameria gilmanii rare or endangered?
Ericameria gilmanii carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.3, state rank S2.
What habitat does Ericameria gilmanii grow in?
Ericameria gilmanii grows in Open conifer forest, generally on limestone.
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.