Clearwater Cryptantha
Cryptantha intermedia · Boraginaceae
- Form
- Annual herb
- Height
- 0.5-2 ft
- Sun
- Full Sun
- Water
- Low
- Blooms
- Mar, Apr, May
- Pet toxicity
- Unknown
- Habitat
- Chaparral · Coastal Sage Scrub · Grassland · Desert
🌿 California native
Quick facts · Habitat: Dry scrub, grassland openings, desert edges · Form / size: Bristly spring annual, 0.5-2 ft · Sun: Full sun · Water: Winter rain only · Blooms: Spring · Pollinator value: Moderate
Description
A bristly annual with narrow leaves and small white flowers held in curling clusters. Up close the plant is rough-hairy, delicate, and much more interesting than it looks from a distance.
Wildlife & pollinators
Small native bees and flies use the tiny flowers during the spring annual bloom.
Habitat & range
Dry slopes, open scrub, grassland, roadsides, sandy washes, and desert-edge flats across Southern California.
In the garden
Best for wildflower or restoration mixes, not formal beds. It needs open soil and a seasonal dry-down.
Propagation
From seed. Sow in fall onto open mineral soil; avoid mulch and summer irrigation.
Where to see it near you
- iNaturalist — observed in Southern California
- Dry trailsides, scrub openings, and sandy flats in spring.
Problems
Bristly hairs can cling to clothing and irritate skin. It is seasonal and will disappear after seed set.
