Eriophyllum jepsonii
Jepson's woolly sunflower, Jepson's Woolly Sunflower
(c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.3
Eriophyllum jepsonii (Jepson's woolly sunflower) is a native California subshrub in the Asteraceae family, recognized by distinctive leaf shape and long peduncles separate it from other shrubby species.
Jepson's woolly sunflower is a California native shrub found in the San Francisco Bay Area and south-central coastal ranges in dry oak woodland at elevations of 200 to 1,000 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces yellow sunflower heads with 5 to 8 ray flowers 6 to 10 millimeters long. Growing 50 to 80 centimeters tall with subshrub-like form, it has erect stems that become woody at the base. Its distinctive leaves are ovate, 3 to 6 centimeters long, with 5 to 7 linear lobes that are initially woolly-tufted and become smoother on the upper surface. The plant produces heads with 35 to 50 disk flowers, creating a dense and intricate floral display.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 8 sympatric species; distinctive leaf shape and long peduncles separate it from other shrubby species
Habitat and range
Habitat: dry oak woodland
Elevation: 200-1000 m
Bloom period
Eriophyllum jepsonii blooms Apr-Jun.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.3
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 jepsonii native to California?
Yes. Eriophyllum jepsonii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Eriophyllum jepsonii bloom?
Eriophyllum jepsonii blooms Apr-Jun.
What plant family does Eriophyllum jepsonii belong to?
Eriophyllum jepsonii is in the Asteraceae family, genus Eriophyllum.
Is Eriophyllum jepsonii rare or endangered?
Eriophyllum jepsonii carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.3, state rank S3.
What habitat does Eriophyllum jepsonii grow in?
Eriophyllum jepsonii grows in dry oak woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Eriophyllum lanatum — Common woolly sunflower
- Eriophyllum lanatum var. achilleoides — Yarrow leaved woolly sunflower
- Eriophyllum lanatum var. arachnoideum — Common woolly sunflower
- Eriophyllum lanatum var. croceum — Common woolly sunflower
- Eriophyllum lanatum var. grandiflorum — Common woolly sunflower
- Eriophyllum lanatum var. hallii — Fort tejon woolly sunflower
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.