Lepechinia fragrans

Fragrant pitcher sage

Family: Lamiaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 4.2

Fragrant pitcher sage is a California native perennial herb ranked 4.2 by CNPS, found in southern California coastal regions, northern Channel Islands, western Transverse Ranges, and San Gabriel Mountains in chaparral habitats at elevations below 1,300 meters. Flowering from March to October, this plant produces flowers with subtle coloration nestled among long, branching stems covered in soft, nonglandular hairs. Growing with an upright, somewhat open form reaching 30 to 90 centimeters tall, it develops a distinctive branched structure with delicate architectural complexity. Its lance-shaped leaves range from lance-deltate to lance-ovate, featuring serrated to entire margins that contribute to the plant's subtle textural appeal. The inflated calyx and persistent flower structures add intricate botanical interest to this aromatic sage species.

Habitat: Chaparral

Bloom period: Mar-Oct

Elevation: < 1300 m

Bioregions: SCo, n ChI, WTR, SnGb.

California counties: Los Angeles, Ventura, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara

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