Navarretia eriocephala
Hoary navarretia, Hoary Navarretia
(c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Polemoniaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.3
Navarretia eriocephala (Hoary navarretia) is a native California herb in the Polemoniaceae family, recognized by distinctive white-woolly heads and low elevation habitat.
Hoary navarretia is a California native annual found in northern and central Sierra Nevada Foothill, Sacramento Valley, and eastern San Francisco Bay Area regions in heavy soil of seasonally wet flats at elevations below 400 meters. Flowering from May to June, this plant produces white flowers with occasional blue-tipped corolla lobes in dense, white-woolly inflorescences. Growing 5 to 25 centimeters tall with erect stems that are often branched above and covered in white, recurved hairs, it has a distinctive growth habit. Its leaves are intricately 2-pinnate-lobed with thread-like axis and clustered upper lobes, creating a delicate, feathery appearance. The fruit is an obovoid structure with 4 valves that dehisce in the lower half.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 25 sympatric species; distinctive white-woolly heads and low elevation habitat
Habitat and range
Habitat: Heavy soil of seasonally wet flats
Elevation: < 400 m
Bloom period
Navarretia eriocephala blooms May-Jun.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.3
How to tell it apart
vs Leptosiphon: Navarretia has spiny, thistle-like flower heads; Leptosiphon has open flower clusters without spines.; vs Gilia: Navarretia has very short glandular hairs; Gilia has white cobwebby or bent hairs.; vs Eriastrum: Navarretia flower heads are spiny but not woolly; Eriastrum heads are densely woolly-white.; vs Saltugilia: Wet the seeds - Navarretia seeds become gelatinous; Saltugilia seeds stay dry.; vs Eryngium: Navarretia has tubular flowers in heads; Eryngium has tiny separate flowers and divided leaves.
Frequently asked questions
Is Navarretia eriocephala native to California?
Yes. Navarretia eriocephala is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Navarretia eriocephala bloom?
Navarretia eriocephala blooms May-Jun.
What plant family does Navarretia eriocephala belong to?
Navarretia eriocephala is in the Polemoniaceae family, genus Navarretia.
Is Navarretia eriocephala rare or endangered?
Navarretia eriocephala carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.3, state rank S4?.
What habitat does Navarretia eriocephala grow in?
Navarretia eriocephala grows in Heavy soil of seasonally wet flats.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · 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.