Linanthus californicus
Prickly phlox
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Family: Polemoniaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Linanthus californicus (Prickly phlox) is a native California shrub in the Polemoniaceae family, recognized by distinctive woody growth form and daytime flowers.
Prickly phlox is a California native shrub found in southern Central Coast, southern Southern California Ranges, and northern southwestern California in scrub, forest, and coastal strand habitats at elevations below 1,500 meters. Flowering from January to July, this plant produces pink flowers with elliptic to round corolla lobes 9 to 18 millimeters long, open during daylight hours. Growing with subshrub stems 30 to 100 centimeters tall, it develops distinctive palmate leaf lobes 3 to 12 millimeters long with sharp-pointed tips. Its leaves feature deeply divided palmate lobes that give the plant its characteristic prickly texture, with each lobe ending in a distinct sharp point. The fruit is small, obovoid, and shorter than the plant's calyx, containing 12 to 30 compact seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 2 sympatric species; distinctive woody growth form and daytime flowers
Habitat and range
Habitat: Scrub, forest, coastal strand
Elevation: < 1500 m.
California counties: San Luis Obispo, San Bernardino, Orange, Riverside, Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Mariposa, San Diego, Glenn, Monterey
Bloom period
Linanthus californicus blooms Jan-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Phlox: Linanthus has alternate leaves; Phlox has opposite leaves paired along the stem.; vs Leptosiphon: Linanthus has rigid, sharp leaf tips and nocturnal flowers; Leptosiphon has soft leaf tips and day-blooming flowers.; vs Gilia: Linanthus has wheel-shaped flowers with lobes longer than tube; Gilia has narrow funnel flowers with tube longer than lobes.; vs Coleonema: Linanthus has palm-divided leaves and phlox flowers; Coleonema has needle-like leaves and 5-petaled star flowers.; vs Navarretia: Linanthus has open wheel flowers and non-spiny leaves; Navarretia has tiny tube flowers hidden in spiny bracts.
Frequently asked questions
Is Linanthus californicus native to California?
Yes. Linanthus californicus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Linanthus californicus bloom?
Linanthus californicus blooms Jan-Jul.
Where in California does Linanthus californicus grow?
Linanthus californicus occurs in San Luis Obispo, San Bernardino, Orange, Riverside, Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Mariposa and other counties, at elevations of < 1500 m..
What plant family does Linanthus californicus belong to?
Linanthus californicus is in the Polemoniaceae family, genus Linanthus.
What habitat does Linanthus californicus grow in?
Linanthus californicus grows in Scrub, forest, coastal strand.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-06
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.