Flower profile

California cudweed

Pseudognaphalium californicum

California cudweed (Pseudognaphalium californicum) is a flowering plant in the Asteraceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly April–July across the U.S.

Native to California

California cudweed is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In California it's most often seen in bloom in April–July.

3states where USDA records it

11,192CA sightings*

11,194U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: California

Quick look

Pseudognaphalium californicum is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by several common names, including ladies' tobacco, California rabbit tobacco, California cudweed, and California everlasting.
From Wikipedia's article Pseudognaphalium californicum, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Asteraceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a annual, biennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 3 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as native to California. ^NatureServe
In California, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–July. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 11,192 research-grade sightings of it in California, ranking #82 among the 178 flowers on our California list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

In California, most flowering sightings come in April–July.

Flowering records by month in California (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (827 records)

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA): Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}
NatureServe global: G5 Secure worldwide. ^NatureServe
California: Not listed Not on California state-listed endangered, threatened and rare plants (14 CCR § 670.2), per CDFW's CNDDB list (July 2026). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in California. ^{CNDDB listed plants (July 2026)}
Rare elsewhere: Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: OR (S2). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records California cudweed in 3 states.

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recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

California, Oregon, Washington.

California counties with USDA records: Alameda, Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Humboldt, Kern, Lake, Los Angeles, Madera, Marin, Mariposa, Mendocino, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Orange, Placer, Plumas, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Sutter, Trinity, Tulare, Tuolumne, Ventura, Yuba.

Names, range and relatives

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Gnaphalium californicum.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 47 counties across 2 states; the most are in California (42), Oregon (5).

Other Pseudognaphalium on Bloomipedia (1): Sweet everlasting.

More from the Asteraceae family (212 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Common yarrow, Goldenrods, White snakeroot, Sunflowers, Chicory, Black-eyed Susan, Bull thistle, Common dandelion.

More California flowers

Common yarrow

Achillea millefolium

Native

🌼 Blooms in CA: April–July

California brittlebush

Encelia californica

Native

🌼 Blooms in CA: January–April

Brittlebush

Encelia farinosa

Native

🌼 Blooms in CA: January–April

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile PSCA13.
iNaturalist, Pseudognaphalium californicum: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Pseudognaphalium californicum (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
California: California state-listed endangered, threatened and rare plants (14 CCR § 670.2), per CDFW's CNDDB list (July 2026).
California: California noxious weed species (3 CCR § 4500).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Pseudognaphalium californicum (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
Photo: Anne Parsons via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized.