Skip to main content

Bractless Hedgehyssop

Gratiola ebracteata

Last reviewed: August 2026

Bractless Hedgehyssop (Gratiola ebracteata)
Photo: Alex Abair / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)

Toxicity unknown

Bractless Hedgehyssop (Gratiola ebracteata) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.

Light

part sun

Water

medium

Size

2"–12" H × 2"–8" W

Bloom

May, Jun, Jul, Aug

Native to

CA, ID, MT, OR and 1 more states

Pollinators

bees, beetles

Before you buy

Your city may pay you to plant this

Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 459 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.

Find rebates in your area

Picture natives in your own yard

Upload a photo of your yard and Patch Vision shows a rendering of it planted with natives for your region, like Bractless Hedgehyssop.

Try it with your yardDownload on the App StoreGet it on Google Play

Browse plants for this ecoregion

Coast RangePuget LowlandMarine West Coast ForestNorthwestern Forested MountainsSierra NevadaCentral California Foothills and Coastal MountainsCentral California ValleyNorth American Deserts

Bractless hedgehyssop is a small annual wildflower that forms low, spreading mats in moist areas. It produces tiny white or pale purple flowers from late spring through summer and naturally grows in wetlands and stream edges.

Get an email before your first frost

We'll email you a week before frost can first reach your ZIP. You also get a printable fall checklist with your dates right away.

You'll also get our weekly yard notes. Unsubscribe anytime.

In an HOA neighborhood

Bractless Hedgehyssop takes more care to keep looking intentional in a front yard. Maintenance level: high. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Works well in: backyard only.

  • Very small stature appears weedy in formal landscapes
  • Annual growth habit creates inconsistent coverage
  • Requires consistently moist conditions difficult to maintain

Wildlife value

This native plant provides nectar for small bees and beetles during its extended blooming period from May through August.

Common questions

How much sun does Bractless Hedgehyssop need?
Bractless Hedgehyssop grows best in part sun conditions.
When does Bractless Hedgehyssop bloom?
Bractless Hedgehyssop blooms in May, June, July, and August.
Where is Bractless Hedgehyssop native?
Bractless Hedgehyssop (Gratiola ebracteata) is native to CA, ID, MT, OR and 1 more states, per vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists.
What pollinators does Bractless Hedgehyssop attract?
Bractless Hedgehyssop draws bees and beetles.
Is Bractless Hedgehyssop HOA-friendly?
Bractless Hedgehyssop takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.

If something looks wrong

Common plant problems, and what to check first

These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.

See all plant problem guides

Ready to grow Bractless Hedgehyssop? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.

Add this plant to your garden
iPhone appAndroid app