Flower profile
Chalk dudleya
Dudleya pulverulenta
Chalk dudleya (Dudleya pulverulenta) is a flowering plant in the Crassulaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly May–July across the U.S.
Chalk dudleya is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In California it's most often seen in bloom in May–July.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: California
Quick look
Dudleya pulverulenta is a species of perennial succulent plant known by the common names chalk lettuce, chalk dudleya, and chalk liveforever. It is one of the largest Dudleya, with a silvery, waxy rosette that may greatly contrast with its habitat.
- It belongs to the Crassulaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 4 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to California. NatureServe
- In California, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–July. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 10,196 research-grade sightings of it in California, ranking #92 among the 178 flowers on our California list. iNaturalist
When does it bloom?
In California, most flowering sightings come in May–July.
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G4 Apparently 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
- No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
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.
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 chalk dudleya in 4 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah.
California counties with USDA records: Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura.
Names, range and relatives
County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 18 counties across 4 states; the most are in California (9), Arizona (6), Nevada (2).
More from the Crassulaceae family (8 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Woodland stonecrop, Lanceleaf stonecrop, Broad-leaved stonecrop, Western roseroot, Widow's-cross, Queen's crown, Elf orpine, Orpine stonecrop.
More California flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile DUPU.
- iNaturalist, Dudleya pulverulenta: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Dudleya pulverulenta (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, Dudleya pulverulenta (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
- Photo: average_plant_enjoyer via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.