Hudsonia tomentosa Nutt.
Woolly beachheather, beach heather, sand heather
Woolly beachheather is native to northeastern North America. This is a rare plant.
Plants: A low-growing, finely branched evergeen shrub 2–8″ (5–20 cm) tall. Stems are somewhat woody.
Leaves: Scale-like, elongated leaves are less than ⅛″ (3.2 mm). They are coated with soft, white, woolly hairs.
Flowers: Attractive yelow flowers ¼″ (6.3 mm) around appear in dense masses. Each flower has five oval petals and 9-18 stamens. Flowers appear from May to July.
Fruits: Capsules with three sections, containing 3-6 seeds.
Habitats: Pine barrens and sand dunes. On seacoasts, it is found above the high tide mark (over 9′ (2.7 m) elevation), since it does not tolerate excessive salt.
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Similar species. |
Online References:
6/26/2024 · Morse Mountain, Phippsburg, Maine · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm) 
10/12/2025 · Scituate Dog Park, Scituate, Massachusetts · By Heather A. Kent 
6/26/2024 · Morse Mountain, Phippsburg, Maine · ≈ 4½ × 7″ (11 × 18 cm) 
6/26/2024 · Seawall Beach, Morse Mountain, Phippsburg, Maine · ≈ 3 × 3½″ (7.6 × 8.8 cm) 
6/26/2024 · Seawall Beach, Morse Mountain, Phippsburg, Maine · ≈ 6 × 4½″ (15 × 12 cm) 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients |
| Division | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms |
| Class | Magnoliopsida | Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves |
| Subclass | Rosidae | Roses, legumes, proteas, dogwoods, hydrangeas, mistletoes, euphorbias, grapes, many more |
| Order | Malvales | Includes cacao, balsa, lime, linden, basswood, daphnes, hibiscus, hollyhocks, okra, baobab, cotton, kapok, and many others |
| Family | Cistaceae | Rock-rose family |
| Genus | Hudsonia | A low heathlike North American herbs (family Cistaceae) with hoary or villous foliage and usually bright yellow flowers |
| Species | tomentosa | From Latin tomentosus, from tomentum, covered with densely matted woolly hairs |
Hudsonia tomentosa description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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