Eryngium aristulatum var. aristulatum
California eryngo
(c) Don Loarie, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Apiaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Eryngium aristulatum var. aristulatum (California eryngo) is a native California herb in the Apiaceae family, recognized by style length and bract features.
California eryngo is a California native perennial found in northern coastal, northern coastal rim, Sacramento Valley, and San Francisco Bay Area regions in vernal pools, lakeshores, and wet depressions at elevations below 1,070 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces white to pale blue flowers with spiny outer bract margins and distinctive globular heads. Growing with slender to stout stems that can be either sprawling or erect, it develops a variable growth habit depending on local conditions. Its leaves are glabrous to slightly puberulent, with spiny-edged bracts surrounding the compact, rounded flower clusters. The fruit features elongated styles that extend well beyond the calyx, with scales that are densely to sparsely covered in bristly projections.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 7 sympatric species; style length and bract features help distinguish
Habitat and range
Habitat: Vernal pools, lakeshores, drying lakes, wet depressions
Elevation: < 1070 m
California counties: Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, Tehama, Lake, San Diego, Alameda, Plumas, Marin, Santa Clara, Contra Costa, Solano, San Mateo, Humboldt, San Luis Obispo, Colusa, Yolo, Del Norte, Butte, San Joaquin, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Sacramento
Bloom period
Eryngium aristulatum var. aristulatum blooms May-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Navarretia: Eryngium has compact button-like heads; Navarretia has looser clusters with spine-tipped bracts radiating outward.; vs Dipsacus: Eryngium flower heads are round or cylindrical when young; teasel heads are elongated egg-shaped from the start.; vs Cirsium: Eryngium leaves are firm and waxy; thistle leaves are softer with white woolly undersides.; vs Plantago: Eryngium grows in wetlands with spiny bracts under each flower; plantain has ribbed leaves and lacks spiny bracts.; vs Sanicula: Eryngium has a single bract under each flower and a thistle-like appearance; Sanicula lacks individual bracts.
Frequently asked questions
Is Eryngium aristulatum var. aristulatum native to California?
Yes. Eryngium aristulatum var. aristulatum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Eryngium aristulatum var. aristulatum bloom?
Eryngium aristulatum var. aristulatum blooms May-Aug.
Where in California does Eryngium aristulatum var. aristulatum grow?
Eryngium aristulatum var. aristulatum occurs in Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, Tehama, Lake, San Diego, Alameda, Plumas and other counties, at elevations of < 1070 m.
What plant family does Eryngium aristulatum var. aristulatum belong to?
Eryngium aristulatum var. aristulatum is in the Apiaceae family, genus Eryngium.
What habitat does Eryngium aristulatum var. aristulatum grow in?
Eryngium aristulatum var. aristulatum grows in Vernal pools, lakeshores, drying lakes, wet depressions.
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.