Gilia cana subsp. speciosa
Photo: parent species Gilia cana · (c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Polemoniaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Gilia cana subsp. speciosa is a native California herb in the Polemoniaceae family, recognized by very long tube and large flowers.
Gilia cana subsp. speciosa is a California native annual found in southern Sierra Nevada eastern slopes and Mojave Desert in open, gravelly or sandy flats and washes at elevations of 200 to 2,900 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces delicate white to pale lavender flowers with narrow throats approximately 20 to 32 millimeters long. Growing with slender stems up to several centimeters tall, it forms densely tufted clumps with distinctive woolly-hairy basal leaves. Its leaves are densely clustered, measuring 2 to 4 centimeters long and covered in soft, tufted hairs that give the plant a distinctive textured appearance. The fruit is widely ovoid, measuring 5 to 9 millimeters long and containing 30 to 60 seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 26 sympatric species - distinguished by very long tube and large flowers
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open, gravelly or sandy flats, washes
Elevation: 200-2900 m
California counties: Kern, San Bernardino, Inyo, Tulare
Bloom period
Gilia cana subsp. speciosa blooms Mar-May.
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 subsp. speciosa native to California?
Yes. Gilia cana subsp. speciosa is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Gilia cana subsp. speciosa bloom?
Gilia cana subsp. speciosa blooms Mar-May.
Where in California does Gilia cana subsp. speciosa grow?
Gilia cana subsp. speciosa occurs in Kern, San Bernardino, Inyo, Tulare, at elevations of 200-2900 m.
What plant family does Gilia cana subsp. speciosa belong to?
Gilia cana subsp. speciosa is in the Polemoniaceae family, genus Gilia.
What habitat does Gilia cana subsp. speciosa grow in?
Gilia cana subsp. speciosa grows in Open, gravelly or sandy flats, washes.
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.