Bloomipedia
Thick-leaved yerba santa (Eriodictyon crassifolium)
Photo: Daniel S. via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Thick-leaved yerba santa

Eriodictyon crassifolium

Thick-leaved yerba santa (Eriodictyon crassifolium) is a shrub in the Boraginaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly March–June across the U.S.

Native to California

Thick-leaved yerba santa is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In California it's most often seen in bloom in March–June.

1states where USDA records it
10,357CA sightings*
10,357U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: California

Quick look

Eriodictyon crassifolium, or thickleaf yerba santa, is a shrub in the family Namaceae. "Crassifolium" means "thick leaf". The plant has thick, woolly leaves. It is native to California and Baja California.

  • It belongs to the Boraginaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 1 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to California. NatureServe
  • In California, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–June. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 10,357 research-grade sightings of it in California, ranking #90 among the 178 flowers on our California list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

In California, most flowering sightings come in March–June.

Flowering records by month in California (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (672 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
G3 Vulnerable 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?

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 thick-leaved yerba santa in 1 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

California.

California counties with USDA records: Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura.

Names, range and relatives

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 8 counties across 1 states; the most are in California (8).

Other Eriodictyon on Bloomipedia (2): California yerba santa, Narrow-leaved yerba santa.

More from the Boraginaceae family (42 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Virginia bluebells, Virginia waterleaf, Pacific hound's tongue, Distant phacelia, Alkali heliotrope, Virginia stickseed, Wild comfrey, Menzies' baby blue eyes.

More California flowers

Pacific hound's tongue (Adelinia grandis)

Pacific hound's tongue

Adelinia grandis

Native

🌼 Blooms in CA: February–April
Distant phacelia (Phacelia distans)

Distant phacelia

Phacelia distans

Native

🌼 Blooms in CA: February–April
Alkali heliotrope (Heliotropium curassavicum)

Alkali heliotrope

Heliotropium curassavicum

Native

🌼 Blooms in CA: May–September

Sources