Hairy yerba santa
Eriodictyon trichocalyx
Last reviewed: October 2026
Hairy yerba santa (Eriodictyon trichocalyx) is a perennial shrub native to CA. It blooms in April, May, and June. The flowers draw bumble bees.
Toxicity unknown
Hairy yerba santa (Eriodictyon trichocalyx) 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
full sun
Water
low
Size
36"–72" H × 36"–72" W
Bloom
Apr, May, Jun
Native to
CA
Pollinators
bumble bees
Before you buy
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Hairy yerba santa is an upright, sticky-leaved evergreen shrub with lance-shaped leaves and clusters of lavender to white tubular flowers. It often colonizes open ground after fire and can spread by root suckers.
Growing Hairy yerba santa
Grow Hairy yerba santa in full sun and low water. Mature plants reach 36 to 72 inches tall and spread 36 to 72 inches wide.
Wildlife value
Host plant for Variable Checkerspot.
The flowers are a strong draw for bumble bees, and the foliage is a documented larval host for the Variable Checkerspot butterfly.
Common questions
- How much sun does Hairy yerba santa need?
- Hairy yerba santa grows best in full sun conditions.
- When does Hairy yerba santa bloom?
- Hairy yerba santa blooms in April, May, and June.
- Where is Hairy yerba santa native?
- Hairy yerba santa (Eriodictyon trichocalyx) is native to CA, per vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists.
- What butterflies or moths does Hairy yerba santa host?
- Hairy yerba santa is a larval host plant for Variable Checkerspot.
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.
- It is dying right after planting
- Leaves turning yellow
- Wilting even though I watered it
- Brown crispy leaf tips
- Bugs on the plant
Ready to grow Hairy yerba santa? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.