Jepson's coyote thistle
Eryngium jepsonii
Last reviewed: September 2026
Jepson's coyote thistle (Eryngium jepsonii) is a annual forb native to CA. It blooms in May, June, and July. The flowers draw bees, wasps, flies, and butterflies.
Toxicity unknown
Jepson's coyote thistle (Eryngium jepsonii) 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
8"–20" H × 8"–12" W
Bloom
May, Jun, Jul
Native to
CA
Pollinators
bees, wasps, flies, butterflies
Before you buy
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A low, spiny annual with rigid, blue-gray, thistle-like foliage and small, tight flower heads surrounded by spiky silvery bracts. Grows in vernal pool margins and clay soil grassland, a habitat now much reduced in extent.
Growing Jepson's coyote thistle
Grow Jepson's coyote thistle in full sun and low water. Mature plants reach 8 to 20 inches tall and spread 8 to 12 inches wide.
Wildlife value
The tight flower clusters attract a wide range of small pollinators, including bees, wasps, and flies, in vernal pool habitat.
Common questions
- How much sun does Jepson's coyote thistle need?
- Jepson's coyote thistle grows best in full sun conditions.
- When does Jepson's coyote thistle bloom?
- Jepson's coyote thistle blooms in May, June, and July.
- Where is Jepson's coyote thistle native?
- Jepson's coyote thistle (Eryngium jepsonii) is native to CA, per vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists.
- What pollinators does Jepson's coyote thistle attract?
- Jepson's coyote thistle draws bees, wasps, flies, and butterflies.
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 Jepson's coyote thistle? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.