Stachys pilosa
Prairie woundwort
(c) Frank Mayfield, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Lamiaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 2B.3
Stachys pilosa (Prairie woundwort) is a native California herb in the Lamiaceae family, recognized by Co-occurs with only 2 species; isolated to Modoc Plateau with soft glandular hairs.
Prairie woundwort is a rare (CNPS 2B.3) California native perennial found in the Modoc Plateau in moist places at elevations of 1,200 to 1,500 meters. Flowering from June to September, this plant produces pink flowers with an oblique ring of hairs creating a distinctive corolla 6 to 9 millimeters long. Growing with erect, branched stems 30 to 90 centimeters tall covered in soft, spreading, slightly glandular hairs, it forms interrupted flower clusters of up to 6 blossoms. Its leaves are ovate to elliptic, 3.5 to 9 centimeters long with crenate edges, featuring rounded to slightly heart-shaped bases and acute to obtuse tips. The plant's soft to stiff-hairy calyx creates an intricate floral structure with lobes approximately equal to the tube length.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Co-occurs with only 2 species; isolated to Modoc Plateau with soft glandular hairs
Habitat and range
Habitat: Moist places
Elevation: 1200-1500 m
California counties: Modoc, Siskiyou, Sierra, Plumas
Outside California: to Washington, western North America, eastern Canada
Bloom period
Stachys pilosa blooms Jun-Sep.
Conservation status
CNPS 2B.3
How to tell it apart
vs Salvia: Stachys has four stamens; Salvia has only two stamens visible in the flower.; vs Lepechinia: Stachys flowers are in separated whorls; Lepechinia has continuous branched clusters.; vs Verbascum: Stachys has square stems and opposite leaves; Verbascum has round stems and alternate leaves.; vs Melissa: Stachys upper flowers have small bracts; Melissa has full-sized leaves beneath all flower clusters.; vs Lamium: Stachys is upright with flowers in separated whorls; Lamium sprawls with flowers clustered at leaf joints.
Frequently asked questions
Is Stachys pilosa native to California?
Yes. Stachys pilosa is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Stachys pilosa bloom?
Stachys pilosa blooms Jun-Sep.
Where in California does Stachys pilosa grow?
Stachys pilosa occurs in Modoc, Siskiyou, Sierra, Plumas, at elevations of 1200-1500 m.
What plant family does Stachys pilosa belong to?
Stachys pilosa is in the Lamiaceae family, genus Stachys.
Is Stachys pilosa rare or endangered?
Stachys pilosa carries California Rare Plant Rank 2B.3, state rank S3.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.