Silene menziesii
Menzies' catchfly, Menzies' Catchfly
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Family: Caryophyllaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Silene menziesii (Menzies' catchfly) is a native California herb in the Caryophyllaceae family, recognized by . Key features: mat-forming, dioecious, very small size, tiny white petals, mountain forests.
Menzies' catchfly is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, San Bernardino Mountains, and Great Basin in conifer forest and pinyon/juniper woodland at elevations of 900 to 2,900 meters. Flowering from June to July, this plant produces white flowers with delicate two-lobed petals creating a distinctive appearance. Growing as a mat-like perennial with multiple branching stems 5 to 20 centimeters tall, it develops decumbent to erect stems that are puberulent and often glandular. Its leaves are lanceolate to elliptic, measuring 2 to 6 centimeters long and 3 to 20 millimeters wide, slightly reduced toward the stem tips. The plant produces small black seeds approximately 0.5 to 1 millimeter in size, with ovoid fruits borne on short stalks.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 33 sympatric species. Key features: mat-forming, dioecious, very small size, tiny white petals, mountain forests.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Conifer forest, pinyon/juniper woodland
Elevation: 900-2900 m
California counties: Inyo, San Bernardino, Modoc, Siskiyou, Alpine, Tulare, Fresno, Trinity, Lassen, Madera, Mariposa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Tuolumne, Mono, Humboldt, El Dorado
Outside California: to Alaska, Manitoba, Kansas, New Mexico
Bloom period
Silene menziesii blooms Jun-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Spigelia: Silene has 5 separate petals in pink family arrangement; Spigelia has tubular red flowers with 5-lobed tips.; vs Pelargonium: Silene has radially symmetric flowers with 5 equal petals; Pelargonium has bilateral flowers with unequal petals.; vs Cistanthe: Silene has a tubular calyx fused around the flower; Cistanthe has 2 separate, rounded sepals that fall off.; vs Castilleja: Silene has showy petals; Castilleja's color comes from bracts hiding tiny tubular flowers.; vs Petrorhagia: Silene has an inflated, rounded calyx tube; Petrorhagia has a narrow, cylindrical calyx with papery bracts below.
Frequently asked questions
Is Silene menziesii native to California?
Yes. Silene menziesii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Silene menziesii bloom?
Silene menziesii blooms Jun-Jul.
Where in California does Silene menziesii grow?
Silene menziesii occurs in Inyo, San Bernardino, Modoc, Siskiyou, Alpine, Tulare, Fresno, Trinity and other counties, at elevations of 900-2900 m.
What plant family does Silene menziesii belong to?
Silene menziesii is in the Caryophyllaceae family, genus Silene.
What habitat does Silene menziesii grow in?
Silene menziesii grows in Conifer forest, pinyon/juniper 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.