Ericameria parryi var. vulcanica
Vulcan rabbitbrush, Vulcan Rabbitbrush
(c) Tim Messick, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Ericameria parryi var. vulcanica (Vulcan rabbitbrush) is a native California shrub in the Asteraceae family, recognized by range unclear from bioregion coding.
Vulcan rabbitbrush is a California native shrub found in central Sierra Nevada Mountains on rocky slopes and sagebrush flats at elevations of 1,400 to 3,200 meters. Flowering from July to September, this plant produces yellow flowers in dense, much-branched cyme-like clusters with long-tapered phyllaries that have straw-colored erect to spreading tips. Growing 10 to 20 centimeters tall with erect to ascending stems, it forms a compact, structured shrub. Its leaves are green, 30 to 50 millimeters long, minutely gland-dotted, with the uppermost leaves approximately equal in length to the flower heads. The plant's distinctive compact form and bright yellow flowers make it a notable component of high-elevation mountain landscapes.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; range unclear from bioregion coding
Habitat and range
Habitat: Uncommon. Rocky slopes, sagebrush flats
Elevation: 1400-3200 m
California counties: Inyo, Kern, Tulare, Mono, Sierra, Fresno, Mariposa
Bloom period
Ericameria parryi var. vulcanica blooms Jul-Sep.
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 parryi var. vulcanica native to California?
Yes. Ericameria parryi var. vulcanica is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Ericameria parryi var. vulcanica bloom?
Ericameria parryi var. vulcanica blooms Jul-Sep.
Where in California does Ericameria parryi var. vulcanica grow?
Ericameria parryi var. vulcanica occurs in Inyo, Kern, Tulare, Mono, Sierra, Fresno, Mariposa, at elevations of 1400-3200 m.
What plant family does Ericameria parryi var. vulcanica belong to?
Ericameria parryi var. vulcanica is in the Asteraceae family, genus Ericameria.
What habitat does Ericameria parryi var. vulcanica grow in?
Ericameria parryi var. vulcanica grows in Uncommon. Rocky slopes, sagebrush flats.
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.