Psilostrophe cooperi
Cooper's paper daisy
(c) Cindy Bell, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Psilostrophe cooperi (Cooper's paper daisy) is a native California subshrub in the Asteraceae family, recognized by Only Psilostrophe species in CA, characteristic of southwestern deserts with distinctive papery persistent ray flowers.
Cooper's paper daisy is a California native perennial found in eastern Mojave Desert and northern Colorado Desert bioregions in dry slopes, washes, desert scrub, and woodland at elevations of 150 to 1,950 meters. Flowering from March to July and October to January, this plant produces white to yellow flowers in heads 3 to 5 millimeters wide with 3 to 6 ray flowers up to 20 millimeters long. Growing with densely white-woolly stems 20 to 90 centimeters tall that are openly branched, it develops an open, spreading habit. Its linear leaves are 1 to 8 centimeters long, initially white-woolly and potentially becoming smoother with age. The fruit is 2 to 3 millimeters long with small pappus scales.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Only Psilostrophe species in CA, characteristic of southwestern deserts with distinctive papery persistent ray flowers
Habitat and range
Habitat: dry slopes, washes, desert scrub and woodland
Elevation: 150-1950 m
Outside California: to Utah, Arizona, northwestern Mexico
Bloom period
Psilostrophe cooperi blooms Mar-Jul, Oct--Jan.
Frequently asked questions
Is Psilostrophe cooperi native to California?
Yes. Psilostrophe cooperi is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Psilostrophe cooperi bloom?
Psilostrophe cooperi blooms Mar-Jul, Oct--Jan.
What plant family does Psilostrophe cooperi belong to?
Psilostrophe cooperi is in the Asteraceae family, genus Psilostrophe.
What habitat does Psilostrophe cooperi grow in?
Psilostrophe cooperi grows in dry slopes, washes, desert scrub and woodland.
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.