Yerba santa
Sticky, resinous, and named holy herb by people who used it for a cough long before anyone wrote it down.
In brief
Eriodictyon californicum, Namaceae.
- Evergreen shrub
- Native to California and southern Oregon
- Flowers May to July
- Fruit a small capsule
Where it grows
Dry slopes and burned ground through the foothills. Another plant that does well after fire.
When it blooms
May to July, in coiled sprays of pale lavender funnels.
Seed and fruit
A small capsule holding many tiny seeds.
Here
Photographed on May 30, 2023 among the burnt trunks. The leaves are dark, toothed and varnished with resin, and they stay sticky in the hand. The Spanish name means holy herb.
By Yggdrasil Springs
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