Eriodictyon crassifolium

Common Names

Yerba Santa, Thick-Leaved Yerba Santa, Felt-Leaved Yerba Santa

Summary

Thickleaf yerba santa is an evergreen shrub native to California and Baja California, occurring in chaparral, coastal sage scrub, washes, canyons, mesas, and bluffs. It grows 1–3 m tall and 3–6 ft wide, with thick, glossy, leathery gray-green leaves densely hairy on the underside; leaves reach up to 17 cm long and 6 cm wide and are sometimes toothed. Lavender, bell-shaped flowers cluster at branch ends, and the plant is fragrant; it is a fire follower in local ecosystems.

Prefers full sun and well-drained loamy soil, tolerates poor soil, and is drought-tolerant with watering about once a month once established; hardy in USDA zones 7–10 and pH 6.0–8.0; rainfall 35–73 cm. Propagation is by seed scarification, layering, or cuttings; pruning in late winter to early spring supports neat form. In gardens it attracts bees and butterflies and serves well as a hedge or in butterfly and bee gardens, and drought-tolerant sunny plantings; traditional Indigenous uses include respiratory remedies and teas; leaves used in tea and flavoring; modern uses include bronchitis, asthma, and allergies; essential oils used in perfumes and cosmetics.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

3-10 feet

Spread

3-6 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 7-10

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun.

Soil Type

Eroded sandstone or granitic soils

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soil

Soil pH

6.0-8.0

Bloom Color

Lavender

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Gray-green

Fall Foliage Color

Gray-green to Gray

Leaf Lifecycle

Evergreen broadleaf

Growth Rate

Fast, Moderate

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Summer

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Layering, Cuttings, Division, Crown sprouting

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts butterflies