Scientific Family
Hydrophyllaceae
Other common names
narrowleaf yerba santa
narrow-leafed mountain balm
narrow-leafed yerba santa
mountain balm
Plant type
Shrubs
Riparian
No
Plant Description
Origin
Native
Similar species
Eriodictyon trichocalyx
An aromatic spreading shrub with narrow leaves; younger stems smooth and sticky with shredding bark on older branches.
Perennial shrub with smooth twigs; leaves narrowly linear to lanceolate, smooth and resinous above, white hairy between the veins underneath. White bell-shaped flowers in terminal clusters, stamens included or slightly projected; seed capsule round.
Height
4 feet
Width
5 feet
Habitat
Habitat description
Found on dry, rocky slopes or in washes in chaparral and pinyon-juniper woodlands.
Plant Community
Pinyon Juniper Woodlands
Interior Chaparral
Low elevation
2000
High elevation
7000
Leaves
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf shape
Narrow
Leaf margin
Toothed
Leaf hairs
Bottom of leaves
Spines
No
Leaf Drop
Evergreen
Sticky, leathery, aromatic, dull dark green above and white woolly beneath, linear, with prominent mid-vein and networked veins, slightly toothed to 4 inches long.
Flowers
Flower color
White
Flower shape
Regular
Tubular
Yes
First bloom month
April
Last bloom month
August
Branched and coiled clusters of white flowers borne along branch tips. Flowers are funnel-shaped, 5-lobed with dark-tipped stamens, to 3/8 inch wide.
Flower clusters
Elongated
Fruit
Fruit color
Gray-brown
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit forms a 4-valved seed capsule, is oval to round in shape, and contains 1 to 8 hardened black striated seeds.