Sonnea hispida
Cascade popcornflower, bristly popcornflower, Bristly Popcornflower
(c) Matt Berger, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Boraginaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Sonnea hispida (Cascade popcornflower) is a native California herb in the Boraginaceae family, recognized by Recently segregated from Cryptantha - represents northern montane element reaching California from Pacific Northwest.
Cascade popcornflower is a California native annual found in the Klamath Ranges, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, and Great Basin in dry, sandy or gravelly places at elevations of 1,200 to 2,800 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces small white flowers in compact, coiled clusters with a rotate corolla less than 1.5 millimeters in diameter. Growing with erect stems 5 to 20 centimeters tall, it has a distinctive sharp-hairy appearance with a reddish taproot. Its alternate leaves are 1.5 to 4 centimeters long, covered with bulbous-based hairs that give the plant a rough texture. The fruit consists of 1 to 4 ovate nutlets 1 to 2.4 millimeters long, with a slightly prominent abaxial ridge and a dull, papillate-roughened surface.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Recently segregated from Cryptantha - represents northern montane element reaching California from Pacific Northwest
Habitat and range
Habitat: dry places, generally in sandy, gravelly soil
Elevation: 1200-2800 m
California counties: Siskiyou, Shasta, Mono, Lassen, Nevada, Alpine, Inyo, Madera, Modoc, Plumas, Placer, El Dorado, Mariposa, Tuolumne, San Diego, San Bernardino
Outside California: to central Oregon, western Idaho, western Nevada
Bloom period
Sonnea hispida blooms Jun-Aug.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sonnea hispida native to California?
Yes. Sonnea hispida is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Sonnea hispida bloom?
Sonnea hispida blooms Jun-Aug.
Where in California does Sonnea hispida grow?
Sonnea hispida occurs in Siskiyou, Shasta, Mono, Lassen, Nevada, Alpine, Inyo, Madera and other counties, at elevations of 1200-2800 m.
What plant family does Sonnea hispida belong to?
Sonnea hispida is in the Boraginaceae family, genus Sonnea.
What habitat does Sonnea hispida grow in?
Sonnea hispida grows in dry places, generally in sandy, gravelly soil.
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.