Salvia columbariae
Chia
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Lamiaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Salvia columbariae (Chia) is a native California herb in the Lamiaceae family, recognized by tiered flower clusters and non-spiny divided leaves diagnostic.
Chia is a California native annual found in dry, disturbed sites, chaparral, and coastal sage scrub across California (excluding the Klamath Ranges, Cascade Range, and northern Sierra Nevada) at elevations generally below 2,500 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces pale to deep blue flowers with purple-tipped calyxes in distinctive clusters along scapose stems. Growing 10 to 50 centimeters tall with sparse, short hairs, it develops an upright, slender form. Its basal leaves are uniquely divided into 2 to 10 centimeter blades with oblong-ovate shapes, intricately cut into irregularly rounded lobes with tiny bristly edges. The fruit is small, measuring 1.5 to 2 millimeters long and ranging in color from tan to gray.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 17 sympatric species; tiered flower clusters and non-spiny divided leaves diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Dry, disturbed sites, chaparral, coastal-sage scrub
Elevation: generally < 2500 m
California counties: Riverside, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, San Diego, Inyo, Kern, Tulare, Ventura, Orange, San Benito, San Mateo, Fresno, Monterey, Santa Barbara, Alameda, Santa Clara, Sonoma, Lake, San Joaquin, El Dorado, Napa, Contra Costa, Imperial, Shasta, Stanislaus, Kings, Mono, Colusa, Glenn, Butte, Tehama, Merced, Sutter, Marin, Tuolumne, Santa Cruz, Mariposa, Solano, Trinity, Mendocino, Yolo
Outside California: to Utah, Arizona
Bloom period
Salvia columbariae blooms Mar-Jun.
How to tell it apart
vs Gambelia: Salvia has opposite leaves and square stems (mint family), while Gambelia has alternate leaves.; vs Encelia: Salvia has tubular two-lipped flowers, while Encelia has yellow daisy-like flower heads.; vs Artemisia: Salvia has showy tubular flowers, while Artemisia has tiny inconspicuous flowers in narrow spikes.; vs Trichostema: Salvia has flowers in interrupted whorls, while Trichostema has long curved stamens protruding from flowers.; vs Stachys: Salvia typically has grayish aromatic leaves, while Stachys has green wrinkled leaves and denser flower spikes.
Frequently asked questions
Is Salvia columbariae native to California?
Yes. Salvia columbariae is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Salvia columbariae bloom?
Salvia columbariae blooms Mar-Jun.
Where in California does Salvia columbariae grow?
Salvia columbariae occurs in Riverside, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, San Diego, Inyo, Kern, Tulare and other counties, at elevations of generally < 2500 m.
What plant family does Salvia columbariae belong to?
Salvia columbariae is in the Lamiaceae family, genus Salvia.
What habitat does Salvia columbariae grow in?
Salvia columbariae grows in Dry, disturbed sites, chaparral, coastal-sage scrub.
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.