

Brandegee's Woollystar Eriastrum brandegeeae
Brandegee's Woollystar is an annual wildflower native to the lower 48 states. It blooms May – Jun. A host for pollen-specialist native bees.
More about this plant
Eriastrum brandegeeae is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family known by the common name Brandegee's woollystar. It is endemic to California, where it is known from the chaparral and woodlands of the North Coast Ranges, generally on volcanic soils. There have been specimens collected from the San Francisco Bay Area which are closer to this species than other Eriastrum, but may actually be a new species. This is an annual herb producing a thin, usually woolly stem up to about 30 centimeters tall. The leaves are divided into several narrow, threadlike linear lobes. The inflorescence is a woolly cluster of narrow, leaflike bracts laced with webby fibers. The small flowers have white to light blue corollas. Wikipedia →
Growing & care
USDA PLANTS · TRY- Hardiness
- ≥ zone 11 derived from its U.S. range
- Lifespan
- Annual
Wildlife & pollinators
How pollinator value is scored →❧ Caterpillar hosts Documented caterpillar host
Recorded feeding on Eriastrum in North America, including:
✦ Bees specialist-bee host
Specialist native bees depend on it.
Some native bees are pollen specialists (oligolectic) — they raise young only on pollen from particular plant genera. Eriastrum is a recorded specialist-bee host, so losing it can mean losing the bee that relies on it.
Sources for this entry (12) Open & cited
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