Monardella villosa subsp. villosa
(c) Alexander Wentworth, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Lamiaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.3
Monardella villosa subsp. villosa is a native California subshrub in the Lamiaceae family.
Coyote mint is a California native shrub found in northwestern and northern central western California in rocky slopes, oak woodlands, chaparral, and montane forest at elevations up to 1,300 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces delicate pink to purple flowers in compact clusters 10 to 30 millimeters wide. Growing with erect stems less than 50 centimeters tall, it has soft, wavy hairs that create a distinctive fuzzy texture. Its leaves are 10 to 22 millimeters long, with a base that tapers to obtuse and a surface that is sparsely hairy to woolly. Outer flower bracts reach 8 to 20 millimeters in length, adding to the plant's intricate visual structure.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Rocky slopes, ephemeral drainages, oak woodland, chaparral, montane forest
Elevation: < 1300 m
California counties: Mendocino, Humboldt, San Mateo, Sonoma, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Monterey, Marin, Napa, Yolo, Colusa, Sutter, San Benito, Sacramento, Calaveras, Lake, Glenn, Tehama, Solano, Butte, Contra Costa, Amador, El Dorado, Shasta, Alameda, Nevada, Siskiyou, Mariposa, Tuolumne, Trinity, Yuba, Plumas, Fresno, Kings, Stanislaus, San Luis Obispo, Placer, Del Norte, San Francisco
Bloom period
Monardella villosa subsp. villosa blooms May-Aug.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.3
How to tell it apart
vs Mentha: Mint has multiple flower clusters spaced along the stem; Monardella has one terminal pom-pom head per stem.; vs Salvia: Sage has flowers spaced along an elongated spike; Monardella's flowers are densely packed into a rounded head.; vs Veronica: Speedwell has flowers in a loose spike and isn't aromatic; Monardella's flowers form a dense head with mint scent.; vs Phacelia: Phacelia's flower clusters uncurl like a fern; Monardella's form a compact, stationary head with a bract collar.; vs Valeriana: Valerian has tiny flowers in branched clusters; Monardella has larger mint flowers in a single terminal head.
Frequently asked questions
Is Monardella villosa subsp. villosa native to California?
Yes. Monardella villosa subsp. villosa is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Monardella villosa subsp. villosa bloom?
Monardella villosa subsp. villosa blooms May-Aug.
Where in California does Monardella villosa subsp. villosa grow?
Monardella villosa subsp. villosa occurs in Mendocino, Humboldt, San Mateo, Sonoma, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Monterey, Marin and other counties, at elevations of < 1300 m.
What plant family does Monardella villosa subsp. villosa belong to?
Monardella villosa subsp. villosa is in the Lamiaceae family, genus Monardella.
Is Monardella villosa subsp. villosa rare or endangered?
Monardella villosa subsp. villosa carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.3, state rank S3.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Monardella viminea — Willowy monardella
- Monardella viridis — Green monardella
- Monardella antonina ssp. antonina — San Antonio Hills Monardella
- Monardella antonina ssp. benitensis — San Benito Monardella
- Monardella australis — Southern monardella
- Monardella australis ssp. gabrielensis — San Gabriel Mountains monardella
- Nepeta cataria — Catnip
- Nepeta 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.