Gilia cana
Desert gilia, showy gilia, Showy Gilia
(c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Polemoniaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Gilia cana (Desert gilia) is a native California herb in the Polemoniaceae family.
Desert gilia is a California native annual found in desert regions at elevations likely between 100 to 1,500 meters. Flowering from spring to early summer, this plant produces showy flowers with a striking color combination of purple tube, yellow and blue throat, and pink lobes. Growing with branching stems 9 to 32 centimeters tall that are tufted-woolly and occasionally glandular, it develops a distinctive tufted appearance. Its basal leaves form a rosette with 1 to 2-pinnate lobes, each with short-pointed teeth and a delicate woolly texture. The plant occasionally emits a skunk-like odor, adding to its unique desert character.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated - 0 sympatric species
Habitat and range
California counties: San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Inyo, Kern, Tulare, Mono
How to tell it apart
vs Saltugilia: Gilia has white cobwebby or sharply bent hairs; Saltugilia has translucent, barely glandular hairs.; vs Navarretia: Gilia has cobwebby/bent hairs; Navarretia has very short uniform glandular hairs and spiny flower heads.; vs Phacelia: Gilia has white cobwebby hairs; Phacelia has coiled flower clusters and straight bristly hairs.; vs Allophyllum: Gilia has white cobwebby or bent hairs; Allophyllum has long fuzzy glandular hairs.; vs Aliciella: Gilia has funnel-shaped flowers; Aliciella has wheel-shaped flowers with spreading lobes.
Frequently asked questions
Is Gilia cana native to California?
Yes. Gilia cana is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Gilia cana grow?
Gilia cana occurs in San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Inyo, Kern, Tulare, Mono.
What plant family does Gilia cana belong to?
Gilia cana is in the Polemoniaceae family, genus Gilia.
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.