Mertensia longiflora
Long bluebells
(c) Ian Adams, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Boraginaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 2B.2
Mertensia longiflora (Long bluebells) is a native California herb in the Boraginaceae family, recognized by distinctive long narrow corollas and easily detached stems.
Long bluebells is a rare (CNPS 2B.2) California native perennial found in the Modoc Plateau in open, spring-moist places with sagebrush or sparse ponderosa-pine forest at elevations of 1,500 to 2,200 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces blue to lavender flowers in dense panicle-like clusters with delicate tubular corollas 15 to 25 millimeters long. Growing with one to two slender stems generally less than 40 centimeters tall that are easily detached from a tuber-like root, it develops few cauline leaves that are typically sessile and elongated. Its leaves are characteristically narrow, generally 1.5 to 4 times longer than wide with obscure lateral veins, and range from glabrous to slightly strigose. The plant's delicate flowers feature a corolla tube significantly longer than the calyx, with wide filaments extending beyond the anthers.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Co-occurs with 6 species; distinctive long narrow corollas and easily detached stems
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open, generally spring-moist, drying places of plains, foothills, especially with sagebrush or sparse ponderosa-pine forest
Elevation: 1500-2200 m
California counties: Modoc, Lassen, Tulare
Outside California: to British Columbia, Montana
Bloom period
Mertensia longiflora blooms Apr-Jun.
Conservation status
CNPS 2B.2
How to tell it apart
vs Hackelia: Mertensia has bell-shaped flowers and smooth seeds; Hackelia has flat flowers and barbed seeds.; vs Penstemon: Mertensia flowers are cylindrical bells; Penstemon flowers are clearly 2-lipped tubes.; vs Iochroma: Mertensia is herbaceous mountain native; Iochroma is woody tropical shrub with larger flowers.; vs Billardiera: Mertensia has bell-shaped borage flowers; Billardiera is a climbing vine with twisted petals.; vs Echium: Mertensia has symmetrical bell flowers; Echium has distinctly lopsided tubular flowers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Mertensia longiflora native to California?
Yes. Mertensia longiflora is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Mertensia longiflora bloom?
Mertensia longiflora blooms Apr-Jun.
Where in California does Mertensia longiflora grow?
Mertensia longiflora occurs in Modoc, Lassen, Tulare, at elevations of 1500-2200 m.
What plant family does Mertensia longiflora belong to?
Mertensia longiflora is in the Boraginaceae family, genus Mertensia.
Is Mertensia longiflora rare or endangered?
Mertensia longiflora carries California Rare Plant Rank 2B.2, state rank S2.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.