Polemonium pulcherrimum var. shastense

Mt. Shasta sky pilot

Family: Polemoniaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Mt. Shasta sky pilot is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, Cascade Range Foothills, and Modoc Plateau in volcanic talus at elevations of 2,590 to 3,170 meters. Flowering from July to September, this plant produces delicate white flowers with distinctive pink veins or pink tinges, creating a subtle bicolor effect. Growing as a compact plant 7 to 18 centimeters tall, it features stems and foliage that are densely covered in glandular hairs. Its small leaves are finely divided, typical of sky pilot species, forming intricate clusters close to the ground. This high-elevation mountain species demonstrates remarkable adaptation to harsh alpine environments with its diminutive yet resilient form.

Habitat: Volcanic talus

Bloom period: Jul-Sep

Elevation: 2590-3170 m

Bioregions: KR, CaRH, MP.

California counties: Shasta, Siskiyou

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