Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

Gilia latiflora is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family known by the common names hollyleaf gilia and broad-flowered gilia. It is endemic to California, where it grows in the deserts and mountains of the southern part of the state. Gilia latiflora adds lavender to the colorful carpet of spring wildflowers on the sandy washes of the region. The plant starts from a basal rosette of frilly leaves, each of which is made up of many narrow-toothed lobes. The stem is generally too small to notice; instead the plant is scapose, sending stemlike inflorescences directly up from the ground. Gilia latiflora adds lavender to the colorful carpet of spring wildflowers on the sandy washes of the region. The plant starts from a basal rosette of frilly leaves, each of which is made up of many narrow-toothed lobes. The stem is generally too small to notice; instead the plant is scapose, sending stemlike inflorescences directly up from the ground. Each multibranched inflorescence is green to reddish in color and approaches half a meter in maximum height. These are topped with fragrant flowers one to three centimeters across. Each flower is lavender to purple with a white throat from which protrude a long style and several shorter stamens.

Plant type

Annual herb

Size

2 ft Tall

Calscape icon
Color

Lavender

Plant communities

Creosote Bush Scrub, Joshua Tree Woodland, Pinyon-Juniper Woodland, Valley Grassland

Caterpillars
Butterflies

Butterflies and moths supported

0 confirmed and 5 likely

Confirmed Likely

Adela singulella

Spotted Straw Sun Moth

Heliothis phloxiphaga

Kodiosoma fulvum

Schinia biundulata