While exploring a clearing in the woods in the Santa Cruz Mountains, this plant really stood out. It is a short, low-growing, golden-rayed wildflower that resembles a sunflower.
Whitehead Mule-ear occurs chiefly in California’s North Coast Range, Central Coast Range and some parts of the Sierra Nevada foothills. It is typically found in an understory habitat associated in sunny clearings of mixed oak forests.
This is a relatively short plant, usually less than 24 inches tall, with long leaves for which the plant gets its common name. The leaves may up to 16 inches long.
Whitehead Mule-ear can grow in large, dense colonies in moist meadows, creating a beautiful display. In my situation it was growing with just a few plants that added texture, shape and color to the landscape.
These produce excellent flowers for pollinators and other wildlife, attracting bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects to the blooms and birds and small mammals to the seeds.
With both a deep tap root and strong laterals, these slow-growing, but long-lived perennials also are good for controlling erosion.
Although I have visiting this particular meadow a number of times over the years, this was the first time that I’ve ever encountered this wildflower.