Horkelia sericata
Silky horkelia, Silky Horkelia
(c) Yves Bas, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Yves Bas · licence
Family: Rosaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.3
Horkelia sericata (Silky horkelia) is a native California herb in the Rosaceae family, recognized by . Key feature: silvery appearance from dense hairs.
Silky horkelia is a California native perennial ranked 4.3 by CNPS, found in the northwestern Klamath Ranges in Del Norte County, growing in dry, rocky serpentine clay within open chaparral or pine forest at elevations of 180 to 1,200 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces white to pink-tinged petals in delicate, open clusters with flowers often slightly separated. Growing with silvery, tufted stems 15 to 40 centimeters tall and a few-branched caudex, it develops a distinctive appearance with dense silvery hairs. Its leaves are remarkable, typically 3 to 10 centimeters long with approximately 15 crowded leaflets on each side, each leaflet divided almost to the base with narrow elliptic lobes. The plant's compact, silvery form and densely clustered, finely divided leaves make it a distinctive member of serpentine landscapes.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 0 sympatric species - geographically isolated. Key feature: silvery appearance from dense hairs
Habitat and range
Habitat: Dry, rocky serpentine clay, open chaparral or pine forest
Elevation: 180-1200 m
California counties: Del Norte, Humboldt, Trinity
Outside California: southwestern Oregon
Bloom period
Horkelia sericata blooms Jun-Aug.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.3
How to tell it apart
vs Drymocallis: Horkelia has exactly 10 stamens and white-pink flowers; Drymocallis has 20+ stamens and yellow-white flowers.; vs Erodium: Horkelia has pinnate leaves and rose-family flowers; Erodium has lobed/divided leaves and long-beaked fruits.; vs Phacelia: Horkelia has rose-family flowers with separate petals; Phacelia has bell-shaped fused corollas with protruding stamens.; vs Potentilla: Horkelia has exactly 10 stamens and flattened filaments; Potentilla has 20+ stamens and thread-like filaments.; vs Ivesia: Horkelia has flat leaves with 2-15 separated leaflets; Ivesia has cylindrical bottlebrush leaves with overlapping leaflets.
Frequently asked questions
Is Horkelia sericata native to California?
Yes. Horkelia sericata is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Horkelia sericata bloom?
Horkelia sericata blooms Jun-Aug.
Where in California does Horkelia sericata grow?
Horkelia sericata occurs in Del Norte, Humboldt, Trinity, at elevations of 180-1200 m.
What plant family does Horkelia sericata belong to?
Horkelia sericata is in the Rosaceae family, genus Horkelia.
Is Horkelia sericata rare or endangered?
Horkelia sericata carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.3, state rank S3.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.