Eriodictyon crassifolium
Felt leaved yerba santa
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Namaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Eriodictyon crassifolium (Felt leaved yerba santa) is a native California shrub in the Namaceae family.
Felt leaved yerba santa is a California native shrub found in rocky chaparral and coastal scrub habitats. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces lavender flowers in funnel-shaped corollas 6 to 16 millimeters long. Growing with dense-tomentose twigs 1 to 3 meters tall, it forms a robust, spreading shrub with distinctive woolly branches. Its leaves are large, ranging from 3 to 17 centimeters long and 1 to 4 centimeters wide, with a lanceolate to ovate shape, featuring a dense, felt-like tomentose surface that gives the plant its distinctive appearance. The shrub produces small seeds and has a dense, hairy structure that helps it thrive in challenging dry environments.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated from all congeners
Habitat and range
California counties: Riverside, Orange, Los Angeles, San Diego, Ventura, Kern, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Imperial
How to tell it apart
vs Salvia: Eriodictyon has tubular flowers in branched clusters; Salvia has 2-lipped flowers in whorled spikes.; vs Baccharis: Eriodictyon has showy tubular flowers with petals; Baccharis has tiny flowers in fuzzy white/tan heads without petals.; vs Eriogonum: Eriodictyon has tubular flowers with petals; Eriogonum has tiny petal-less flowers in ball-like clusters.; vs Heteromeles: Eriodictyon has tubular flowers; Heteromeles has flat-topped clusters of white 5-petaled flowers with red berries.; vs Pseudognaphalium: Eriodictyon is a woody shrub with tubular flowers; Pseudognaphalium is an herb with fuzzy leaves and papery flower heads.
Frequently asked questions
Is Eriodictyon crassifolium native to California?
Yes. Eriodictyon crassifolium is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Eriodictyon crassifolium grow?
Eriodictyon crassifolium occurs in Riverside, Orange, Los Angeles, San Diego, Ventura, Kern, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara and other counties.
What plant family does Eriodictyon crassifolium belong to?
Eriodictyon crassifolium is in the Namaceae family, genus Eriodictyon.
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.