Prickly Phlox or Linanthus californicus is a tap-rooted, widely-branched shrub with wooly long, soft, matted hairs that are densely lined with clusters or bundles of prickly needle-like alternate leaves (it is a Phlox), that is native to California. This perenial is woody (one of the benefits of being a perenial is that you live more than a year and can invest energy into creating a more durable structure). You can believe the common name description (Prickly) of this plant! The showy flowers are clustered on the outer edges of the plant, and range in color from pink to lavender to white. Flowers are open during the day and twist closed at the end of the day. The flower has five petals, white center, a narrow throat with some yellow stamens often visible. This is one of the flowers that does not project its reproductive organs up into the air. Pollinators have to crawl inside the narrow tube. Prickly Phlox can have dozens of the one inch round flowers in bloom from March to June. The bright pink patches of flowers will catch your eye and if you are not careful the leaves will remind you not to touch this plant.