Ivesia gordonii var. alpicola
Alpine ivesia
(c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Rosaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Ivesia gordonii var. alpicola (Alpine ivesia) is a native California perennial in the Rosaceae family, recognized by stem color and anther color distinguish from var. ursinorum.
Alpine ivesia is a California native perennial found in the Marble Mountains, northern North Coast Ranges, and northern Sierra Nevada in open, dry, rocky ridges and slopes at elevations of 2,100 to 3,300 meters. Flowering from June to September, this plant produces delicate white to cream-colored flowers in compact clusters. Growing with ascending to erect stems 10 to 30 centimeters tall, it forms dense tufted clumps in alpine and subalpine environments. Its finely divided leaves are composed of numerous small, fernlike leaflets arranged in a delicate, lacy pattern. The plant's compact growth and intricate foliage make it a distinctive component of high-elevation rocky habitats.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 3 sympatric species; stem color and anther color distinguish from var. ursinorum
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open, dry, rocky ridges, slopes
Elevation: 2100-3300 m
California counties: Tuolumne, Placer, Amador, El Dorado, Siskiyou, Sierra, Trinity, Alpine, Inyo, Tehama
Outside California: to Washington, Montana
Bloom period
Ivesia gordonii var. alpicola blooms Jun-Sep.
How to tell it apart
vs Achillea: Ivesia has rose-like flowers with separate petals; Achillea has composite flower heads with ray and disk flowers.; vs Potentilla: Ivesia has cylindrical bottlebrush leaves with 4-80 tiny leaflets per side; Potentilla has flat leaves with spread-out leaflets.; vs Horkelia: Ivesia has cylindrical leaves with overlapping leaflets; Horkelia has flat leaves with 2-15 distinct, separated leaflets.; vs Eremogone: Ivesia has compound bottlebrush leaves; Eremogone has simple, needle-like or thread-like leaves.; vs Cryptantha: Ivesia has rose-family flowers with separate petals; Cryptantha has fused tubular corollas typical of borages.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ivesia gordonii var. alpicola native to California?
Yes. Ivesia gordonii var. alpicola is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Ivesia gordonii var. alpicola bloom?
Ivesia gordonii var. alpicola blooms Jun-Sep.
Where in California does Ivesia gordonii var. alpicola grow?
Ivesia gordonii var. alpicola occurs in Tuolumne, Placer, Amador, El Dorado, Siskiyou, Sierra, Trinity, Alpine and other counties, at elevations of 2100-3300 m.
What plant family does Ivesia gordonii var. alpicola belong to?
Ivesia gordonii var. alpicola is in the Rosaceae family, genus Ivesia.
What habitat does Ivesia gordonii var. alpicola grow in?
Ivesia gordonii var. alpicola grows in Open, dry, rocky ridges, slopes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.