Pseudognaphalium ramosissimum
Pink cudweed
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Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Pseudognaphalium ramosissimum (Pink cudweed) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by pink bracts, tall stature, and few disk flowers.
Pink cudweed is a California native biennial found in western Northwestern California, western Central Western California, Southern California, northern Channel Islands, Western Transverse Ranges, San Gabriel Mountains, and Peninsular Ranges in dry, open slopes, woodland, sandy fields, and dunes at elevations below 600 meters. Flowering from July to September, this plant produces white to pink flowers in small panicle-like clusters with short-cylindric involucres. Growing with erect, scented stems 50 to 150 centimeters tall that are loosely tomentose and stalked-glandular, it has a distinctive branching habit. Its leaves are crowded near the base, linear to lanceolate, 3 to 7 centimeters long with tightly curled margins and a loosely hairy surface. The plant's phyllaries are particularly notable, with ovate to ovate-oblong bracts that are generally pink, sometimes white or greenish, and loosely tomentose at the base.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 10 sympatric species; key features are pink bracts, tall stature, and few disk flowers
Habitat and range
Habitat: Dry, open slopes, woodland, sandy fields, dunes
Elevation: < 600 m
California counties: Ventura, San Diego, Orange, Riverside, San Mateo, Alameda, Contra Costa, Humboldt, Marin, Mendocino, Santa Cruz, Sonoma, Los Angeles, Monterey, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Fresno
Bloom period
Pseudognaphalium ramosissimum blooms Jul-Sep.
How to tell it apart
vs Anaphalis: Pseudognaphalium has branched, open flower clusters; Anaphalis has dense, flat-topped clusters and noticeably papery white bracts.; vs Helichrysum: Pseudognaphalium has small, clustered woolly heads; Helichrysum has larger, more colorful papery flower heads often used in dried arrangements.; vs Artemisia: Pseudognaphalium has woolly white leaves and papery flower heads; Artemisia has aromatic gray-green leaves and tiny greenish flowers.; vs Salvia: Pseudognaphalium has papery flower heads in the Asteraceae; Salvia has tubular lipped flowers typical of mints with square stems.; vs Erigeron: Pseudognaphalium has papery heads without obvious petals; Erigeron has clear white or colored ray petals around each flower head.
Frequently asked questions
Is Pseudognaphalium ramosissimum native to California?
Yes. Pseudognaphalium ramosissimum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Pseudognaphalium ramosissimum bloom?
Pseudognaphalium ramosissimum blooms Jul-Sep.
Where in California does Pseudognaphalium ramosissimum grow?
Pseudognaphalium ramosissimum occurs in Ventura, San Diego, Orange, Riverside, San Mateo, Alameda, Contra Costa, Humboldt and other counties, at elevations of < 600 m.
What plant family does Pseudognaphalium ramosissimum belong to?
Pseudognaphalium ramosissimum is in the Asteraceae family, genus Pseudognaphalium.
What habitat does Pseudognaphalium ramosissimum grow in?
Pseudognaphalium ramosissimum grows in Dry, open slopes, woodland, sandy fields, dunes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
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.