Wigandia urens
Stinging wigandia, Stinging Wigandia
(c) Dick Culbert, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Namaceae · Type: Subshrub · Not Native
Wigandia urens (Stinging wigandia) is a non-native California subshrub in the Namaceae family, recognized by South American ornamental introduction, only Wigandia species naturalized in California.
Stinging wigandia is a naturalized shrub found in southern California coastal areas and potentially other regions, growing in open, disturbed areas, urban edges, and abandoned homesteads at elevations from sea level to 500 meters. Flowering from January to May and again from June to September, this plant produces lavender to purple flowers with white to purple throats approximately 15 to 25 millimeters in diameter. Growing 2 to 6 meters tall with robust branching, it develops large, striking foliage with petioles 5 to 15 centimeters long. Its expansive leaves are ovate to obovate, measuring 10 to 80 centimeters long and 10 to 45 centimeters wide, with distinctively toothed edges. The fruit develops 10 to 15 millimeters long, containing over 200 small, net-veined brown seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: South American ornamental introduction, only Wigandia species naturalized in California
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open, disturbed areas, slopes, +- urban areas, abandoned homesteads; ornamental, cultivated
Elevation: 0-500 m [<= 2500 m]
Outside California: introduced Mexico, elsewhere in Americas, southern Europe (Italy, France, Spain), northern Africa, s Africa (South Africa), Pacific Islands (New Zealand), southern Australia, native to South America
Bloom period
Wigandia urens blooms Jan-Apr(May), Jun--Sep(Nov), possibly +- year round in cultivation.
How to tell it apart
vs Nicotiana: Wigandia has huge heart-shaped leaves 10-35cm wide; Nicotiana has smaller leaves typically under 15cm wide.; vs Eriodictyon: Wigandia has huge heart-shaped leaves 10-35cm wide; Eriodictyon has narrow lance-shaped leaves under 6cm wide.
Frequently asked questions
Is Wigandia urens native to California?
No. Wigandia urens is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Wigandia urens bloom?
Wigandia urens blooms Jan-Apr(May), Jun--Sep(Nov), possibly +- year round in cultivation.
What plant family does Wigandia urens belong to?
Wigandia urens is in the Namaceae family, genus Wigandia.
What habitat does Wigandia urens grow in?
Wigandia urens grows in Open, disturbed areas, slopes, +- urban areas, abandoned homesteads; ornamental, cultivated.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · 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.