Helianthus petiolaris subsp. canescens

Family: Asteraceae · Type: annual · Native

Alkali sunflower is a California native annual found in the southern deserts, particularly in sandy soils at elevations below 300 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces yellow flowers with dark centers in heads surrounded by densely hairy bracts. Growing with stiff-spreading stems densely covered in grayish strigose hairs, it reaches moderate heights in its arid desert habitat. Its leaves are similarly densely covered in grayish hairs, with a notably glandular undersurface that gives the foliage a distinctive silvery-green appearance. The plant thrives in challenging sandy environments, adapting to the sparse, harsh conditions of its desert ecosystem.

Habitat: Sandy soils

Bloom period: Mar-Jun

Elevation: < 300 m

Bioregions: DSon.

California counties: San Diego, Riverside

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