Ericameria pinifolia
Pine-bush
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Ericameria pinifolia (Pine-bush) is a native California shrub in the Asteraceae family, recognized by seasonal dimorphism in flower heads is unique.
Pine-bush is a California native shrub found in southern California coastal areas, western Transverse Ranges, San Gabriel Mountains, Peninsular Ranges, and western Sonoran Desert in sandy to stony chaparral, oak woodland, and scrub habitats at elevations below 1,900 meters. Flowering from April to July and September to January, this plant produces yellow flowers in radiate heads surrounded by distinctive leafy bracts. Growing 50 to 300 centimeters tall with nearly smooth, resin-dotted stems, it develops compact branching with characteristic thread-like leaves. Its leaves are extremely narrow, 10 to 40 millimeters long, with axillary clusters of short leaves and a glabrous or slightly hairy surface. The fruit is 3.5 to 5 millimeters long, slightly cylindrical, with a tan to reddish pappus.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 20 sympatric species; seasonal dimorphism in flower heads is unique
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sandy to stony, often disturbed soils; chaparral, oak woodland, scrub
Elevation: < 1900 m
Outside California: northern Baja California
Bloom period
Ericameria pinifolia blooms Apr-Jul, Sep--Jan.
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 pinifolia native to California?
Yes. Ericameria pinifolia is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Ericameria pinifolia bloom?
Ericameria pinifolia blooms Apr-Jul, Sep--Jan.
What plant family does Ericameria pinifolia belong to?
Ericameria pinifolia is in the Asteraceae family, genus Ericameria.
What habitat does Ericameria pinifolia grow in?
Ericameria pinifolia grows in Sandy to stony, often disturbed soils; chaparral, oak woodland, scrub.
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.