Gilia diegensis
Coastal gilia
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Polemoniaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Gilia diegensis (Coastal gilia) is a native California herb in the Polemoniaceae family, recognized by . Key features: glaucous stem, strap-shaped basal leaves, purple tube with bicolored throat.
Coastal gilia is a California native annual found in the southern California mountains, southern California islands, Peninsular Ranges, southern edge of the Mojave Desert, and western edge of the Sonoran Desert in sandy areas, open forest, and scrub at elevations of 220 to 2,200 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces purple and yellow flowers with lavender or white lobes 2 to 5 millimeters long, set against a distinctive blue pollen. Growing with slender stems 10 to 40 centimeters tall, it has a glaucous lower stem and glandular upper stem. Its basal leaves form a prostrate rosette 1 to 7 centimeters long, strap-shaped with spreading toothed or pinnate lobes that are tufted-woolly-hairy. The fruit is a small ovoid structure 3.7 to 7 millimeters long, shorter than the flower's calyx.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 15 sympatric species. Key features: glaucous stem, strap-shaped basal leaves, purple tube with bicolored throat
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sandy areas, open forest, scrub
Elevation: 220-2200 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Imperial, San Diego, Riverside, Los Angeles
Outside California: Baja California
Bloom period
Gilia diegensis blooms Apr-Jun.
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 diegensis native to California?
Yes. Gilia diegensis is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Gilia diegensis bloom?
Gilia diegensis blooms Apr-Jun.
Where in California does Gilia diegensis grow?
Gilia diegensis occurs in San Bernardino, Imperial, San Diego, Riverside, Los Angeles, at elevations of 220-2200 m.
What plant family does Gilia diegensis belong to?
Gilia diegensis is in the Polemoniaceae family, genus Gilia.
What habitat does Gilia diegensis grow in?
Gilia diegensis grows in Sandy areas, open forest, scrub.
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.