Ipomopsis aggregata

Scarlet gilia

Family: Polemoniaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Scarlet gilia is a California native perennial found in montane and alpine areas at elevations ranging from moderate to high mountain zones. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces brilliant scarlet flowers with yellow mottling on the throat, forming tubular blossoms 20 to 30 millimeters long with acute to pointed lobes. Growing with erect stems 30 to 60 centimeters tall that are glabrous or slightly hairy, it develops distinctive foliage structures. Its basal leaves are pinnately divided into 9 to 11 narrow lobes, while cauline leaves are more compact with 5 to 7 lobes, creating a delicate, fern-like appearance. The plant's radial flowers feature exserted stamens and style, contributing to its elegant alpine meadow aesthetic.

California counties: Fresno, Alpine, Mono, Tulare, El Dorado, Madera, Siskiyou, Mariposa, Tuolumne, Shasta, Trinity, Butte, Inyo, Nevada, Lake, Modoc, Lassen, Placer, Del Norte, Amador, Plumas, Humboldt, Calaveras, Sierra, Tehama, Monterey, Yolo, San Bernardino

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