California Yerba Santa

About California Yerba Santa

California Yerba Santa is a super rare houseplant 🌿 that needs regular watering to thrive. They do best in long-lasting, direct light ☀️ and should be less than 1 foot from a window.

Taxonomy

Scientific name

Eriodictyon californicum

Genus

Eriodictyon

Family

Hydrophyllaceae

Order

Boraginales

Also known as

Sacred herb, Mountain balm, Bear's weed, Gum bush, Gum plant, Consumptive weed, Herbe des montagnes, Herbe à ourse, Herbe sacrée, Herbe sainte, Hierba santa, Holy herb and Tarweed

How to care for California Yerba Santa

💦 Water

How often to water your California Yerba Santa

California Yerba Santa needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Water 0.5 cups every
9

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

No Yes

Select the pot size

☀️ Light

Finding light for California Yerba Santa in your home

California Yerba Santa love being close to bright, sunny windows 😎.

Place it less than 1ft from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

California Yerba Santa does not tolerate low-light 🚫.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of California Yerba Santa in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize California Yerba Santa

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for California Yerba Santa: repot after 2X growth

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your California Yerba Santa after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

💡 FAQs

💦 Water Needs

California Yerba Santa prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

California Yerba Santa Water Frequency →

California Yerba Santa Root Rot →

☀️ Sunlight Needs

California Yerba Santa requires abundant, bright and direct light. Place it less than one foot from a window to ensure it receives enough light to survive 💪. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.

California Yerba Santa Light Requirements →

California Yerba Santa Direct Sunlight Needs & Tolerance →

🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

California Yerba Santa is not known to cause harm to humans or pets. Regardless, if you, a family member, a cat, or dog has ingested any plant material, please consult a doctor or a veterinarian.

Is California Yerba Santa Edible? →

California Yerba Santa Toxicity to Cats →

California Yerba Santa Toxicity to Dogs →

California Yerba Santa Toxicity to Humans →

⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern

California Yerba Santa will branch off as it grows. To encourage branching, pinch off the newest growth at the tip and the stem will branch off into two.

California Yerba Santa Lifecycle →

California Yerba Santa Size Guide →

How and When to Prune California Yerba Santa →

🌦️ Growing Outdoors

USDA Hardiness Zone
California Yerba Santa can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 7a-10b. Find your local hardiness zone here.

California Yerba Santa Temperature Tolerance →

California Yerba Santa Hardiness Zones →

Landscaping Ideas with California Yerba Santa →

When to Plant California Yerba Santa →

How to Plant California Yerba Santa →

Where to Plant California Yerba Santa →

Winter Care for California Yerba Santa →

Best Companion Plants for California Yerba Santa →

Is California Yerba Santa a Weed? →

🍂 Yellow Leaves

Yellow leaves aren’t always a reason to panic, and can be a normal part of a plant’s life cycle. Unless brand new leaves are turning yellow or all the leaves change color at once, it’s likely just your plant shedding old leaves.

Overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause of problems in California Yerba Santa, since they are sensitive to wet soil. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Less often, yellow leaves are caused by underwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests.

Replace soggy soil with fresh, dry soil and download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!

🧐 Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.