Eriodictyon traskiae var. traskiae
Trask's yerba santa, Trask's Yerba Santa
(c) George Williams, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Namaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Eriodictyon traskiae var. traskiae (Trask's yerba santa) is a native California shrub in the Namaceae family, recognized by (parent species). Key features: island endemic, small narrow leaves with short petioles.
Trask's yerba santa is a California native shrub found on Santa Catalina Island in chaparral slopes at elevations of 150 to 460 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces white flowers with corollas 6 to 7 millimeters long. Growing with an upright form to form a compact shrub, it has woody stems with distinctive foliage. Its leaves are narrow-elliptic, 3 to 6.5 centimeters long and 1 to 1.5 centimeters wide, with short petioles 2 to 5 millimeters in length.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species (parent species). Key features: island endemic, small narrow leaves with short petioles
Habitat and range
Habitat: Slopes, chaparral
Elevation: 150-460 m
California counties: Los Angeles
Bloom period
Eriodictyon traskiae var. traskiae blooms May-Jul.
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 traskiae var. traskiae native to California?
Yes. Eriodictyon traskiae var. traskiae is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Eriodictyon traskiae var. traskiae bloom?
Eriodictyon traskiae var. traskiae blooms May-Jul.
Where in California does Eriodictyon traskiae var. traskiae grow?
Eriodictyon traskiae var. traskiae occurs in Los Angeles, at elevations of 150-460 m.
What plant family does Eriodictyon traskiae var. traskiae belong to?
Eriodictyon traskiae var. traskiae is in the Namaceae family, genus Eriodictyon.
What habitat does Eriodictyon traskiae var. traskiae grow in?
Eriodictyon traskiae var. traskiae grows in Slopes, chaparral.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Eriodictyon trichocalyx — Hairy yerba santa
- Eriodictyon trichocalyx var. lanatum — San diego yerba santa
- Eriodictyon trichocalyx var. trichocalyx — Hairy yerba santa
- Eriodictyon altissimum — Indian knob mountainbalm
- Eriodictyon angustifolium — Narrow-leaved yerba santa
- Eriodictyon californicum — California yerba santa
- Nama aretioides — Ground nama
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.