Erysimum teretifolium

Santa cruz wallflower, Santa Cruz Wallflower

Family: Brassicaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1 · Endangered

Santa cruz wallflower is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native perennial found in southwestern Santa Cruz Mountains in sandy coastal-sage scrub and chaparral areas at elevations of 100 to 400 meters. Flowering from February to May, this plant produces yellow-orange to yellow flowers approximately 15 to 20 millimeters long with distinctive wide petals. Growing with erect stems 2.5 to 8 meters tall, it develops a woody caudex and spreads with slender branching structure. Its leaves are uniquely thread-like and cylindrical, approximately 0.3 to 3 millimeters wide, with finely toothed margins and two- to three-rayed hairs. The fruit develops as a slender pod 7 to 12 centimeters long with prominent midveins and seeds nestled in narrow chambers.

Habitat: Sandy areas in coastal-sage scrub or chaparral

Bloom period: Feb-May

Elevation: 100-400 m

Bioregions: sw SnFrB (Santa Cruz Sandhills, Santa Cruz Co.).

California counties: Santa Cruz, Alameda, Monterey, Mariposa, Trinity, San Luis Obispo

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