Ludwigia peploides subsp. peploides
Photo: parent species Ludwigia peploides · Père Igor (via Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA
Family: Onagraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Ludwigia peploides subsp. peploides is a native California herb in the Onagraceae family, recognized by . Smooth texture, shorter fruits (10-17mm), non-mucronate leaves.
Ludwigia peploides is a naturalized perennial found in coastal and inland regions including northern California Coast, Sierra Nevada foothills, Central Valley, and southern California desert edges in lakeshores, streambanks, and seasonal wetlands at elevations below 900 meters. Flowering from May to October, this plant produces yellow flowers 9 to 13 millimeters long with distinctive five-petaled blooms. Growing with floating or creeping stems 6 to 14 decimeters long, it spreads extensively across wet environments with a smooth, non-sticky surface. Its leaves have smooth edges with petioles 3 to 20 millimeters long and rounded tips that lack sharp points. The cylindrical or five-angled fruits develop on pedicels 5 to 20 millimeters long, measuring 10 to 17 millimeters in length.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 4 sympatric species. Smooth texture, shorter fruits (10-17mm), non-mucronate leaves.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Lakeshores, streambanks, seasonal wetlands
Elevation: < 900 m
California counties: Orange, Lake, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, San Diego, Merced, Fresno, Tulare, Santa Barbara, Sutter, Sonoma, Ventura, San Luis Obispo, Kern, San Joaquin, Sacramento, Inyo, El Dorado, Monterey, Modoc, Marin, Kings, Butte, Yuba, Glenn, Alameda, Solano, San Francisco, Stanislaus, Santa Cruz, San Mateo, Mendocino, Colusa, Yolo
Outside California: Oregon, Texas (native?), Central America, South America, Australia
Bloom period
Ludwigia peploides subsp. peploides blooms May-Oct.
How to tell it apart
vs Veronica: Ludwigia flowers have 4-5 petals and persistent sepals; Veronica has 4 petals and sepals that fall off.; vs Pistia: Ludwigia has separate petals and normal leaves; Pistia is a free-floating rosette with a spathe-like flower.; vs Portulaca: Ludwigia grows in wet habitats with thin leaves; Portulaca has succulent, fleshy leaves in dry areas.; vs Alternanthera: Ludwigia has slender stems; Alternanthera stems are distinctly swollen at the nodes.; vs Epilobium: Ludwigia flowers have no floral tube; Epilobium has a distinct tubular hypanthium extending above the ovary.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ludwigia peploides subsp. peploides native to California?
Yes. Ludwigia peploides subsp. peploides is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Ludwigia peploides subsp. peploides bloom?
Ludwigia peploides subsp. peploides blooms May-Oct.
Where in California does Ludwigia peploides subsp. peploides grow?
Ludwigia peploides subsp. peploides occurs in Orange, Lake, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, San Diego, Merced, Fresno and other counties, at elevations of < 900 m.
What plant family does Ludwigia peploides subsp. peploides belong to?
Ludwigia peploides subsp. peploides is in the Onagraceae family, genus Ludwigia.
What habitat does Ludwigia peploides subsp. peploides grow in?
Ludwigia peploides subsp. peploides grows in Lakeshores, streambanks, seasonal wetlands.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Ludwigia repens — Creeping primrose willow
- Ludwigia sp. — False loosestrife
- Ludwigia grandiflora — Large-flowered primrose-willow
- Ludwigia hexapetala — Uruguayan primrose-willow
- Ludwigia palustris — Marsh purslane
- Ludwigia peploides — Floating primrose willow
- Neoholmgrenia andina — Plateau evening primrose
- Neoholmgrenia sp.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
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.