With budding flower stalk. Caspers Wilderness Park, San Juan Capistrano, CA. 5-03-09. © Joan Avise

Small-flowered Soap Plant

Chlorogalum parviflorum

Very similar to C. pomeridianum, but smaller. with leaves half as wide and slightly shorter in length, smaller 1-3 in. long brown membranous bulb with few coarse fibers. Flower spike half as tall, 1 to 4 ft. Flower stems much shorter. Flowers remain open during the day.  Scattered and patchy on rocky clay soils in grassland and openings in coastal sage scrub and southern cactus scrub; San Joaquin Hills, southeast coast, mountain foothills and Santa Ana Mountains (Roberts). Native Americans used both Chlorogalum species widely in California. Flowering May - August.  More on uses: more.

Native to coastal southern California and Baja California

Back to Agavaceae of Orange County, California
Back to Monocots of Orange County, California
Back to Natural History of Orange County, California


Flower buds. Caspers Wilderness Park, San Juan Capistrano, CA. 5-03-09. © Joan Avise

Harding Truck Trail, Cleveland National Forest, Orange County, CA. 6-11-15. © Ron Vanderhoff

Harding Truck Trail, Cleveland National Forest, Orange County, CA. 6-11-15. © Ron Vanderhoff

Harding Truck Trail, Cleveland National Forest, Orange County, CA. 6-11-15. © Ron Vanderhoff

San Clemente State Park, Orange County, CA. 6-14-12. © Ron Vanderhoff

Perianth parts white to pink, with dark veins, about 1/4 inch long, spreading from above the base; stamens with yellow anthers. San Clemente State Park, Orange County, CA. 6-14-12. © Ron Vanderhoff

San Clemente State Park, Orange County, CA. 6-14-12. © Ron Vanderhoff

San Clemente State Park, Mima mounds, 5-26-14. © Ron Vanderhoff