Tidestromia suffruticosa var. oblongifolia
Honeysweet
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Amaranthaceae · Type: Annual · Native
Tidestromia suffruticosa var. oblongifolia (Honeysweet) is a native California annual in the Amaranthaceae family, recognized by key differences in leaf shape and base, pubescence persistence.
Honeysweet is a California native annual found in the Mojave Desert bioregion in dry washes, rocky hillsides, and sandy or slightly alkaline soils at elevations up to 1,200 meters. Flowering from April to December, this plant produces yellow to yellow-brown flowers tiny and delicate, nestled among persistently gray-white papery leaves. Growing with ascending or decumbent woolly stems 10 to 60 centimeters tall, it spreads across the desert landscape with a distinctive soft, pale appearance. Its leaves are oblong to narrowly ovate, 10 to 50 millimeters long, with a distinctive heart-shaped base and a persistent gray-white coloration. The tiny fruits are just 1 to 2 millimeters long, reflecting the plant's delicate desert adaptation.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species; key differences in leaf shape and base, pubescence persistence
Habitat and range
Habitat: dry washes, rocky hillsides, sandy or slightly alkaline soils
Elevation: < 1200 m
California counties: Riverside, San Bernardino, Imperial, Inyo, San Diego
Outside California: Nevada, Arizona, northern Baja California
Bloom period
Tidestromia suffruticosa var. oblongifolia blooms Apr-Dec.
How to tell it apart
vs Croton: Use a hand lens on stem hairs - Tidestromia has Y-shaped forked hairs; Croton has star-shaped hairs.; vs Encelia: Encelia has daisy-like flower heads; Tidestromia has tiny flowers hidden in woolly leaf clusters.; vs Dicoria: Dicoria has alternate leaves and sunflower-family flowers; Tidestromia has opposite leaves and woolly clusters.; vs Euphorbia: Euphorbia oozes milky sap when broken; Tidestromia has clear sap and is densely woolly.; vs Eriogonum: Eriogonum has flowers in papery involucres; Tidestromia flowers are hidden in woolly leaf-axil clusters.
Frequently asked questions
Is Tidestromia suffruticosa var. oblongifolia native to California?
Yes. Tidestromia suffruticosa var. oblongifolia is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Tidestromia suffruticosa var. oblongifolia bloom?
Tidestromia suffruticosa var. oblongifolia blooms Apr-Dec.
Where in California does Tidestromia suffruticosa var. oblongifolia grow?
Tidestromia suffruticosa var. oblongifolia occurs in Riverside, San Bernardino, Imperial, Inyo, San Diego, at elevations of < 1200 m.
What plant family does Tidestromia suffruticosa var. oblongifolia belong to?
Tidestromia suffruticosa var. oblongifolia is in the Amaranthaceae family, genus Tidestromia.
What habitat does Tidestromia suffruticosa var. oblongifolia grow in?
Tidestromia suffruticosa var. oblongifolia grows in dry washes, rocky hillsides, sandy or slightly alkaline soils.
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.