Erysimum ammophilum

Sand-loving wallflower, Sand-Loving Wallflower

Family: Brassicaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Sand-loving wallflower is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in central Coast Ranges near Monterey Bay and northern Channel Islands including San Miguel and Santa Rosa islands in coastal dunes at elevations below 50 meters. Flowering from March to April, this plant produces striking yellow flowers with broad petals 14 to 24 millimeters long and up to 11 millimeters wide. Growing with slender stems 40 to 90 centimeters tall, it develops linear-oblanceolate leaves covered in distinctive 2 to 4-rayed hairs. Its basal and lower stem leaves are narrow, measuring 2 to 9 millimeters wide, with a delicate, sparse hair covering. The fruit develops into elongated siliques 3.5 to 12 centimeters long with winged seeds.

Habitat: Coastal dunes

Bloom period: Mar-Apr

Elevation: < 50 m

Bioregions: c CCo (Monterey Bay), n ChI (San Miguel, Santa Rosa islands).

California counties: Monterey, San Diego, Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.