Mertensia oblongifolia var. nevadensis

Sagebrush bluebells

Family: Boraginaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Sagebrush bluebells is a California native perennial found in northern and central Sierra Nevada Mountains, Warner Mountains, and northern eastern Sierra Nevada in open slopes and drier meadows at elevations of 1,760 to 2,510 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces pale blue to lavender flowers with delicate, trumpet-shaped corollas. Growing with stems generally less than 20 centimeters tall, it forms compact clusters in spring-moist places, especially around sagebrush habitats. Its leaves are nearly smooth with occasional subtle surface bumps, spreading in low, graceful arrangements across the plant's base. The flower's corolla tube is notably glabrous inside, giving the delicate blossoms a clean, refined appearance.

Habitat: Open slopes, drier meadows, generally spring-moist places, especially with sagebrush

Bloom period: Apr-Jun

Elevation: 1760-2510 m

Bioregions: CaRH, n&ampc SNH, Wrn, n SNE (Sweetwater, Masonic mtns, Bodie Hills)

California counties: Modoc, El Dorado, Amador, Mono, Sierra, Alpine

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