Ericameria palmeri
Palmer goldenweed
(c) klicklo, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Ericameria palmeri (Palmer goldenweed) is a native California shrub in the Asteraceae family, recognized by range data incomplete in source.
Palmer goldenweed is a California native shrub found in dry, open habitats at elevations of 500 to 2,000 meters. Flowering from August to October, this plant produces bright yellow flowers in dense clusters with heads 5 to 8.5 millimeters wide. Growing with erect stems 50 to 400 centimeters tall that are often gland-dotted and glabrous to slightly hairy, it forms distinctive branching clusters. Its narrow leaves are linear to oblanceolate, 5 to 40 millimeters long, with axillary clusters of short leaves often present. The fruit is 3 to 4 millimeters long, cylindrical, and slightly angled with a hairy surface.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; range data incomplete in source
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 palmeri native to California?
Yes. Ericameria palmeri is native to California (recorded as native).
What plant family does Ericameria palmeri belong to?
Ericameria palmeri is in the Asteraceae family, genus Ericameria.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Ericameria palmeri var. pachylepis — Thickbracted goldenbush
- Ericameria palmeri var. palmeri — Palmer's goldenbush
- Ericameria paniculata — Black-banded rabbitbrush
- Ericameria parishii var. parishii — Parish's goldenbush
- Ericameria parryi — Parry's goldenbush
- Ericameria parryi var. aspera — Rough rabbitbrush
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.