Plectritis congesta subsp. congesta

Sea blush, Sea Blush

Family: Valerianaceae · Type: annual · Native

Sea blush is a California native annual found in northwestern California, Sierra Nevada, Sacramento Valley, and central western California in coastal bluffs and open, partly shaded slopes at elevations below 1,700 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces delicate pale to dark pink flowers with a two-lipped corolla 4 to 9.5 millimeters long and a slender spur with an enlarged tip. Growing as a slender annual with multiple thin stems, it spreads in delicate clusters across coastal landscapes. Its leaves are soft and variable, typically arranged in loose clusters along the stem. The flower's distinctive pink coloration and unique two-lipped shape make it a charming addition to coastal grassland and bluff environments.

Habitat: Coastal bluffs, open, partly shaded slopes

Bloom period: Mar-Jun

Elevation: < 1700 m

Bioregions: NW, SN, ScV, CW

California counties: Trinity, Del Norte, Humboldt, Siskiyou, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara

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