Common Wooly Sunflower Plant Guide - USDA Plants Database

COMMON WOOLLY 

SUNFLOWER 

Eriophyllum lanatum (Pursh) 

Forbes 

Plant Symbol = ERLA6 

Contributed by: NRCS Plant Materials Center, 

Pullman, WA 

Eriophyllum lanatum. Ben Legler, University of 

Washington Burke Herbarium 

Alternate Names 

Oregon sunshine, golden yarrow, yarrow leaved 

eriophyllum, dwarf woolly sunflower, Pursh’s 

woolyleaf 

Uses 

Pollinator habitat: Eriophyllum lanatam attracts 

beetles, syrphid flies, bees, moths and butterflies 

(Mooring 1975). Butterflies that are known to visit 

this plant include: orange sulfur, red admiral, 

comma, and skipper (Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower 

Center 2011). An endangered butterfly in Oregon, 

Plant Guide 

Fender’s Blue (Icaricia icarioides fenderi) relies on 

E. lanatum for a source of nectar (Schultz 2001). 

Ornamental: This plant is hardy to Zone 3 and can 

be used in perennial borders, along pathways, and in 

rock gardens and embankments (Rugged Country 

Plants 2011). The Lady Bird Wildflower Center 

(2011) recommends selecting a local ecotype, 

planting several plants in a group, and pruning the 

dead branches. 

Rangeland vegetation: This plant is quick to 

establish and can be used for revegetation and 

diversification of rangeland in a variety of habitats. 

Ethnobotanical: People of the Miwok tribe made a 

poultice of the leaves of this plant and bound them to 

aching parts of the body; the Skagit rubbed the leaves 

on skin to prevent chapping; and the Chehalis used 

the dried flowers as a love charm (Native American 

Ethnobotany Database 2011). 

Status 

Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State 

Department of Natural Resources for this plant’s 

current status (e.g., threatened or endangered species, 

state noxious status, and wetland indicator values). 

Description 

General: Sunflower family (Asteraceae). 

Eriophyllum lanatum is a native forb or subshrub, 

and may be an annual, biennial, or short- or longlived 

perennial depending on site conditions. It has a 

multi-branched, erect to spreading form and grows to 

10 to 60 cm (4 to 24 in) tall. Stems and leaves are 

covered with white hairs. Leaves are 2.5 to 7.5 cm (1 

to 3 in) long and irregularly divided into narrow 

lobes. Flowers are solitary, on long peduncles and 

bloom May through July. The flower head is 4 to 6.5 

cm (1.5 to 2.5 in) wide with golden yellow disk 

flowers and 8 to 12 yellow ray flowers, each 1.5 to 2 

cm (0.6 to 0.8 in) long. Flower bracts are broad, 

erect and keeled. Seed is narrow, smooth, has four 

angles and a crown of scales or short pappus. (Burke 

Museum of Natural History and Culture 2011; 

Hitchcock and Cronquist 1973; Knopf 2001; Lady 

Bird Johnson Wildflower Center 2011; Mooring 

2001). 

This plant was first collected by Lewis and Clark 

along the Clearwater River near Kamiah, Idaho, on 

June 6, 1806 (Lewis and Clark Herbarium 2011). It 

was named Actinella lanata by Pursh and renamed 

Eriophyllum lanatum by Forbes. The genus name

Eriophyllum is from Greek “erion” which means 

wool and “phyllon” which means leaf. The species 

name lanatum translated from Latin is “covered with 

long woolly hair” (Charters 2011). 

Distribution: Eriophyllum lanatum is common on 

both sides of the Cascade Mountains from British 

Columbia south to Washington, Oregon and 

California. Its range extends east to Nevada, Idaho, 

northwestern Utah, western Wyoming, and western 

Montana. The species is currently divided into 12 

varieties, and among and within varieties there is a 

great deal of genetic and phenotypic variation 

(Mooring 1975). 

A factor contributing to the variation is the presence 

of polyploids. Mooring (1975) found the 

Eriophyllum lanatum complex contains diploid, 

tetraploid, hexaploid and octoploid populations. 

Diploid populations occupy the geographical and 

environmental extremes of the complex, and 

polyploid populations occur where the ranges of the 

varieties overlap (Mooring 2001). Polyploidy has 

enabled intervarietal hybridization, and many 

polyploids are intermediate populations that cannot 

be assigned to one particular variety. California is 

the geographic center of Eriophyllum lanatum, with 

the largest amount of genetic diversity, and where 10 

out of the 12 varieties occur (Mooring 2001). For 

current distribution of this species, please consult the 

Plant Profile page on the PLANTS Web site. 

Habitat: This plant is often found growing in rocky 

areas along roadsides throughout its range. It is also 

found on coulees, bluffs, and canyons, and in dry 

grassland, thickets and forests (Knopf 2001; Lyons 

and Merilees 1995). 

Adaptation 

Eriophyllum lanatum is adapted to areas with dry, 

rocky or sandy soil which receive a minimum of 25 

cm (10 in) annual precipitation at elevations from sea 

level to 3,050 m (10,000ft). The plant has a high 

drought tolerance due to its white hairs that conserve 

water by reflecting heat and reducing air movement 

across the leaf surfaces (Knopf 2001). 

Establishment 

Plants can be established by seed or seedlings. Seeds 

should be drilled into a weed-free seed bed in the fall 

at a rate of 3.4 kg PLS per ha (3 lbs PLS per acre) 

and at a depth of 0.6 to 1.25 cm (0.25 to 0.5 in). 

When planted in a mix, the seeding rate should be 

adjusted according to the proportion of the mix. The 

seed requires a cold and moist period of about 90 

days for optimal germination (Skinner 2007). 

To transplant seedlings, the seed should be planted in 

containers in October or November, stratified in cold 

and moist conditions for a period of 90 days, and 

moved inside to a greenhouse. The plants should be 

hardened off in a cold frame for 2 to 4 weeks prior to 

transplanting to a prepared field site (Skinner 2007). 

Plants should be spaced 15 to 45 cm (6 to 18 in) apart 

(Rugged Country Plants 2011). 

Management 

Eriophyllum lanatum is a prolific seed producer and 

will rapidly spread to any surrounding open ground. 

If plant spread is not desired, flower heads should be 

removed prior to seed ripening. 

The Forest Service J. Herbert Stone Nursery in 

Medford, OR, reports the biggest challenge to 

production of E. lanatum seed is weed control. They 

employ a variety of weed control techniques, 

including fumigating the soil prior to planting, 

cultivation, mowing, herbicides and hand weeding 

(Archibald 2006). 

Pests and Potential Problems 

Insects may significantly damage the foliage and seed 

(Mooring 2001). 

Environmental Concerns 

None. 

Eriophyllum lanatum seeds. Bend Seed Extractory, 

Seeds of Success 

Seeds and Plant Production 

E.lanatum is self-incompatible and therefore requires 

an insect or other vector for pollination (Mooring 

1975). Cane (2011b) has discovered 

E. lanatum is visited and pollinated by the cavitynesting 

solitary bees Osmia montanum and O. 

californica. These species are readily managed in 

standard nesting substrates for Osmia bees, and have 

been studied for decades, most recently as pollinators 

of balsamroot. (Cane 2005, Cane 2011a). 

Most Eriophyllum lanatum plants will flower and 

produce seed in their first year of growth. Seeds 

ripen in July, but ripening date may vary depending 

on elevation. The seed pappus is reduced to short

scales, therefore the seed is not wind-borne. Seed is 

retained on the flower head longer than many other 

Asteraceae species but will shatter within a week 

after ripening (Skinner 2007). A brush machine or 

hammer mill can be used to process the seed prior to 

cleaning with air screen equipment (Skinner 2007; 

Barner 2009). A gravity table may also be used to 

remove the remaining unfilled seed and inert 

material (Barner 2009). There are about 1,782,000 

seeds per kg (810,000 seeds per lb) (Lambert 2005). 

Experiments at the Pullman Plant Materials Center 

demonstrated an extended cold moist stratification 

period is needed to break seed dormancy. Skinner 

(2007) had 0% germination with no stratification, 

10% germination with 45 days stratification, and 

75% germination with 90 days stratification. Seed 

stratified longer than 90 days in the fluctuating spring 

temperatures achieved 82% germination. Some seed 

germinated during stratification, indicating 

germination will occur at low temperatures. Seed 

stored for 1 year in controlled conditions (5C and 

40% humidity) and sown without pretreatment failed 

to emerge (Skinner 2007). Mooring (2001) found 

seed viability decreased rapidly after 2 years of 

storage at room temperature, but some seed remained 

viable after 8 years. 

To produce seed of Eriophyllum lanatum, the Forest 

Service J. Herbert Stone Nursery sows seedbeds in 

the fall at a rate necessary to achieve 130 plants per 

square meter (12 plants per square foot) (Archibald 

2006). The seed is sown in bands 1.9 cm (0.75 in) 

deep, 3 cm (1.25 in) wide and 30 cm (12 in) apart 

with a modified Love/Oyjord® drill. Packing wheels 

are used to press the seed into the soil, and the seed is 

covered with 6 to 8 mm (0.25 to 0.33 in) of sawdust 

which is kept moist with irrigation until fall rains 

begin. Seed is harvested the following summer with 

a small plot combine, and the remaining plant residue 

is removed with a silage chopper. Seed yields have 

varied considerably depending on seedlot, growing 

season and age of the crop. A plot is typically 

harvested for a maximum of 5 years (Archibald 

2006). 

Cultivars, Improved, and Selected Materials (and 

area of origin) 

None, although seed and seedlings are available from 

several vendors. 

References 

Archibald, C. 2006. Seed production protocols for 

Anaphalis margaritacea, Eriophyllum lanataum 

and Eriogonum umbellatum. Native Plants J. 

7:47-51. 

Barner, J. 2009. Propagation protocol for production 

of Eriophyllum lanatum (Pursh) Forbes seeds; 

USDA FS - R6 Bend Seed Extractory, Bend, 

OR. In: Native Plant Network. [Online] 

Available at: http://www.nativeplantnetwork.org 

(accessed 27 Jan 2011). University of Idaho, 

College of Natural Resources, Forest Research 

Nursery, Moscow, ID 

Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture. 

[Online]. Available at: 

http://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/i 

magecollection.php (accessed 27 Jan 2010). 

University of Washington, Seattle, WA. 

Cane, J.H. 2005. Pollination needs of arrowleaf 

balsamroot, Balsamorhiza sagittata 

(Heliantheae: Asteraceae). Western North 

American Naturalist 65 (3): 359-364. 

Cane, J.H. 2011a. Specialist Osmia bees forage 

indiscriminately among hybridizing 

Balsamorhiza floral hosts. 

Oecologia (in press). 

Cane, J.H. 2011b. Personal communication. 

Charters, M.L. 2011. California Plant Names: Latin 

and Greek Meanings and Derivations. [Online] 

Available at: 

http://www.calflora.net/botanicalnames/ 

(accessed 27 Jan 2011). 

Hitchcock, C.L. and A. Cronquist. 1973. Flora of the 

Pacific Northwest. University of Washington 

Press, Seattle and London. 

Knopf, A. A. 2001. National Audubon Society Field 

Guide to Wildflowers, Western Region. 

Chanticleer Press, New York, NY. 

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. 2011. 

[Online] Available at: 

http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_ 

plant=ERLA6 (Accessed 27 Jan 2011). Austin, 

TX. 

Lambert, S. 2005. Guidebook to the Seeds of Native 

and Non-Native Grasses, Forbs and Shrubs of 

the Great Basin. Idaho BLM Technical Bulletin 

2005-04. USDI-BLM, Boise, ID. 

Lewis and Clark Herbarium. 2011. [Online] 

Available at: 

http://www.plantsystematics.org/reveal/pbio/Ln 

C/LnCpublic4.html (Accessed 27 Jan 2011). 

Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, and University 

of Maryland, College Park, MD. 

Lyons, C.P. and B. Merilees. 1995. Trees, Shrubs and 

Flowers to Know in Washington and British 

Columbia. Lone Pine Press, Auburn, WA, 

Vancouver, BC, and Edmonton, AB. 

Mooring, J.S. 1975. A cytogeographic study of 

Eriophyllum lanatum (Compositae, Helenieae). 

Amer. J. Bot. 62(10):1027-1037. 

Mooring, J.S. 2001. Barriers to interbreeding in the 

Eriophyllum lanatum (Asteraceae, Helenieae) 

species complex. Amer. J. Bot. 88(2):285-312. 

Native American Ethnobotany Database. 2011. 

[Online] Available at http://herb.umd.umich.edu/ 

(Accessed 27 Jan 2011). University of Michigan, 

Dearborn, MI.

Rugged Country Plants. 2011. [Online] Available at: 

http://www.ruggedcountryplants.com/eriophyllu 

m-lanatum.htm (Accessed 27 Jan 2011). 

Schultz, C.B. 2001. Restoring resources for an 

endangered butterfly. J. of Appl. Eco. 38:1007- 

1019. 

Skinner, D. 2007. Propagation protocol for 

production of container Eriophyllum lanatum 

(Pursh) Forbes plants (10 cu in). USDA-NRCS 

Pullman Plant Materials Center, Pullman, WA. 

In: Native Plant Network [Online] Available at: 

http://www.nativeplantnetwork.org (Accessed 27 

Jan 2011) University of Idaho, College of 

Natural Resources, Forest Research Nursery, 

Moscow, ID. 

Prepared By 

Pamela L.S. Pavek, USDA NRCS Plant Materials 

Center, Pullman, Washington 

Citation 

Pavek, P.L.S. 2011. Plant guide for common woolly 

sunflower (Eriophyllum lanatum). USDA-Natural 

Resources Conservation Service, Pullman Plant 

Materials Center. Pullman, WA. 

Published: March 2011 

Edited: 08Mar11 jab; 15Mar11 plsp 

For more information about this and other plants, 

please contact your local NRCS field office or 

Conservation District at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/ 

and visit the PLANTS Web site at 

http://plants.usda.gov/ or the Plant Materials Program 

Web site http://plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov. 

PLANTS is not responsible for the content or 

availability of other Web sites. 

USDA IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PROVIDER AND EMPLOYER

Common Wooly Sunflower Plant Guide - USDA Plants Database

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