Ludwigia repens
Creeping primrose willow
(c) Thomas Mesaglio, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Onagraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Ludwigia repens (Creeping primrose willow) is a native California herb in the Onagraceae family, recognized by . Tiny petals (1-3mm), opposite leaves, matted habit.
Creeping primrose willow is a California native perennial found in southern California deserts including the Santa Barbara Mountains, Peninsular Ranges, and southwestern Mojave Desert in muddy or sandy streambanks and ponds at elevations below 900 meters. Flowering from July to September, this plant produces yellow flowers 1 to 3 millimeters long with four delicate petals. Growing as a low, matted herb 10 to 30 centimeters tall, it spreads by decumbent stems that root at the nodes and create sprawling patches. Its opposite leaves are narrowly elliptic to nearly round, ranging up to 5 centimeters long and appearing smooth or minutely hairy. The plant produces small erect fruits 4 to 10 millimeters long that develop after flowering.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species. Tiny petals (1-3mm), opposite leaves, matted habit.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Muddy or sandy streambanks, ponds
Elevation: < 900 m
Outside California: to southeastern United States, Caribbean, northern Mexico, southern Asia, Japan
Bloom period
Ludwigia repens blooms Jul-Sep.
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 repens native to California?
Yes. Ludwigia repens is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Ludwigia repens bloom?
Ludwigia repens blooms Jul-Sep.
What plant family does Ludwigia repens belong to?
Ludwigia repens is in the Onagraceae family, genus Ludwigia.
What habitat does Ludwigia repens grow in?
Ludwigia repens grows in Muddy or sandy streambanks, ponds.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Ludwigia sp. — False loosestrife
- Ludwigia grandiflora — Large-flowered primrose-willow
- Ludwigia hexapetala — Uruguayan primrose-willow
- Ludwigia palustris — Marsh purslane
- Ludwigia peploides — Floating primrose willow
- Ludwigia peploides subsp. montevidensis
- Neoholmgrenia andina — Plateau evening primrose
- Neoholmgrenia sp.
- Oenothera avita — California evening primrose
Sources: Jepson eFlora · 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.