Pholistoma auritum var. auritum

Fiesta flower, Fiesta Flower

Family: Hydrophyllaceae · Type: annual · Native

Fiesta flower is a California native annual found in the North Coast Ranges, central Sierra Nevada Foothills, southern Sierra Nevada, Tehachapi Mountains, San Joaquin Valley, Central Western California, and Southwestern California regions in diverse habitats including ocean bluffs, talus slopes, woodlands, streambanks, and canyons at elevations up to 1,900 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces white to lavender flowers in delicate clusters approximately 10 to 30 millimeters wide. Growing with slender stems up to 30 centimeters tall, it forms a compact, spreading habit. Its leaves are distinctively lobed, with 7 to 13 rounded or pointed leaflets that create an intricate, lacy appearance. The flower's delicate corolla, measuring 7 to 15 millimeters long, typically extends beyond the plant's calyx, creating a charming and intricate display.

Habitat: Ocean bluffs, talus slopes, woodland, streambanks, canyons

Bloom period: Mar-Jun

Elevation: < 1900 m

Bioregions: NCoRI, c SNF, s SN, Teh, SnJV, CW, SW.

California counties: Fresno, San Diego, Kern, Ventura, Los Angeles, Riverside, Orange, Merced, Santa Barbara, Tulare, San Bernardino, Santa Clara, San Luis Obispo, San Benito, Monterey, Alameda, Contra Costa, Inyo, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, San Mateo, Stanislaus, Tuolumne, Madera, Mariposa, San Francisco, El Dorado, Santa Cruz

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