Eriophyllum ambiguum var. ambiguum
Beautiful woolly sunflower, Beautiful Woolly Sunflower
Photo: parent species Eriophyllum ambiguum · (c) Tim Messick, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Eriophyllum ambiguum var. ambiguum (Beautiful woolly sunflower) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family.
Beautiful woolly sunflower is a California native annual found in southern Sierra Nevada foothills and Tehachapi Mountains in open chaparral at elevations of 200 to 1,900 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces yellow flowers in heads with distinctive involucres 4 to 5.5 millimeters long. Growing with delicate stems branching from the base, it reaches heights of 10 to 30 centimeters. Its leaves are pinnately lobed, creating a soft, feathery appearance with finely divided leaf segments. The flower heads feature uniquely structured phyllaries that are occasionally fused, adding to the plant's intricate botanical character.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 6 sympatric species. Key differentiator is leaf division pattern.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open chaparral
Elevation: 200-1900 m
Bloom period
Eriophyllum ambiguum var. ambiguum blooms Mar-Jun.
How to tell it apart
vs Achillea: Eriophyllum has woolly leaves; Achillea has feathery fern-like leaves and flat-topped white/pink flower clusters.; vs Lasthenia: Eriophyllum has densely woolly leaves; Lasthenia has smooth or sparsely hairy leaves.; vs Monolopia: Eriophyllum rays fall off cleanly; Monolopia rays have a small opposite lobe at base.; vs Artemisia: Eriophyllum has yellow ray flowers; Artemisia has tiny rayless heads and aromatic silver-gray foliage.; vs Pseudognaphalium: Eriophyllum has yellow ray petals; Pseudognaphalium has white/cream rayless everlasting flowers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Eriophyllum ambiguum var. ambiguum native to California?
Yes. Eriophyllum ambiguum var. ambiguum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Eriophyllum ambiguum var. ambiguum bloom?
Eriophyllum ambiguum var. ambiguum blooms Mar-Jun.
What plant family does Eriophyllum ambiguum var. ambiguum belong to?
Eriophyllum ambiguum var. ambiguum is in the Asteraceae family, genus Eriophyllum.
What habitat does Eriophyllum ambiguum var. ambiguum grow in?
Eriophyllum ambiguum var. ambiguum grows in Open chaparral.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Eriophyllum ambiguum var. paleaceum — Annual woolly sunflower
- Eriophyllum confertiflorum — Golden-yarrow
- Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum — Golden yarrow
- Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. tanacetiflorum — Tansy-flowered woolly sunflower
- Eriophyllum congdonii — Congdon's woolly sunflower
- Eriophyllum jepsonii — Jepson's woolly sunflower
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.