Bloomipedia
Chia (Salvia columbariae)
Photo: John Brew via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Chia

Salvia columbariae

Chia (Salvia columbariae) is a flowering plant in the Lamiaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly March–May across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

Chia is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 2 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in March–May.

5states where USDA records it
2Bloomipedia state lists include it
19,127U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Arizona, California

Quick look

Salvia columbariae is an annual plant that is commonly called chia, chia sage, golden chia, or desert chia, because its seeds are used in the same way as those of Salvia hispanica (chia). It grows in California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Sonora, and Baja California, and is an important food for Native Americans. Some native names include pashiiy from Tongva and it'epeš from Ventureño.

  • It belongs to the Lamiaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a annual life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 5 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to California and Arizona. NatureServe
  • In California, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–May. iNaturalist
  • In Arizona, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–April. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 17,437 research-grade sightings of it in California, ranking #33 among the 178 flowers on our California list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 1,339 research-grade sightings of it in Arizona, ranking #73 among the 132 flowers on our Arizona list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (4,306 records)
Bloom time in the 2 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
CaliforniaNativeMarch–May17,437
ArizonaNativeMarch–April1,339

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)
Arizona
Not listed Not on Arizona Native Plant Law protected plants (Ariz. Admin. Code R3-3 Art. 11, App. A, eff. Feb. 2, 2025). NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Arizona. AAC R3-3 App. A
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?

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. For context only: ASPCA lists a related species, Salvia coccinea (“Scarlet Sage”), as non-toxic to dogs and cats. That doesn't tell us about this species, so keep pets away to be safe. ASPCA

🌿 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 chia in 5 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah.

California counties with USDA records: Alameda, Butte, Colusa, Contra Costa, Fresno, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Lake, Los Angeles, Madera, Marin, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Monterey, Napa, Orange, Riverside, San Benito, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tulare, Tuolumne, Ventura.

Arizona counties with USDA records: Cochise, Gila, Graham, Maricopa, Mohave, Pima, Pinal, Yavapai.

Names, range and relatives

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 56 counties across 4 states; the most are in California (38), Arizona (8), Nevada (8).

Other Salvia on Bloomipedia (7): Lyreleaf sage, Black sage, White sage, Mealy blue sage, Tropical sage, Giant blue sage, Russian sage.

More from the Lamiaceae family (44 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Common selfheal, Ground-ivy, Red deadnettle, American beautyberry, Henbit deadnettle, Wild bergamot, American germander, Common motherwort.

More California flowers

Black sage (Salvia mellifera)

Black sage

Salvia mellifera

Native

🌼 Blooms in CA: February–May
White horehound (Marrubium vulgare)

White horehound

Marrubium vulgare

Introduced

🌼 Blooms in CA: April–June
White sage (Salvia apiana)

White sage

Salvia apiana

Native

🌼 Blooms in CA: April–June

Sources