Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

Chaenactis douglasii is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family known by the common name Douglas' dustymaiden. It is native to western North America from British Columbia to Saskatchewan to California to New Mexico, where it grows in a wide variety of habitats, including harsh environments such as rock fields in alpine climates and disturbed areas such as roadsides. This is a variable herb, generally a perennial. It grows erect to a maximum height near 50 or 60 centimeters, with one to many stems coated in cobwebby hairs. The woolly or hairy leaves may be up to 15 centimeters long and are divided intricately into many lobes with curled or twisted tips. The flower cluster produces one or more flower heads, each up to about 2 centimeters long. The flower head is lined with flat, hairy, blunt-pointed phyllaries and contains several white or pinkish tubular flowers with protruding anthers. The fruit is an achene about a centimeter long including its pappus of scales.

Plant type

Annual herb, Perennial herb

Size

1 - 2 ft Tall

Form

Upright

Growth rate

Moderate

Calscape icon
Color

White

Flowering season

Summer

Sun

Full Sun

Soil description

Prefers sandy or loamy soils. Does not grow well in clay soils.

Site type

Dry open slopes

Plant communities

Chaparral, Lodgepole Forest, Northern Juniper Woodland, Pinyon-Juniper Woodland, Red Fir Forest, Sagebrush Scrub, Yellow Pine Forest

Caterpillars
Butterflies

Butterflies and moths supported

0 confirmed and 4 likely

Confirmed Likely

Common Eupithacia

Eupithecia miserulata

Spotted Straw Sun Moth

Heliothis phloxiphaga

Fall Webworm

Hyphantria cunea

Ni Moth

Trichoplusia ni