Amorpha californica
California false indigo
(c) John Hibbard, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Amorpha californica (California false indigo) is a native California shrub in the Fabaceae family, recognized by 1 congener (*A. fruticosa*); leaf rachis with prickle-like glands, sessile midrib gland, 1 spike per tip.
California false indigo is a California native shrub found in central and northern California coastal ranges and Sierra Nevada foothills in chaparral and woodlands at elevations of 300 to 1,600 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces purple flowers in dense, elongated racemes. Growing to 1 to 3 meters tall with multiple upright to spreading branches, it forms a dense, somewhat irregular shrub structure. Its pinnate leaves feature numerous small leaflets with distinctive glandular midribs, each leaflet marked by tiny head-like glands less than half a millimeter wide. The shrub develops clusters of small, dark purple flowers concentrated at the tips of its branches, creating a striking visual display against its dense green foliage.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 congener (*A. fruticosa*); leaf rachis with prickle-like glands, sessile midrib gland, 1 spike per tip
Habitat and range
California counties: San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Ventura, Riverside, Orange, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Placer, San Luis Obispo, Shasta, El Dorado, Sonoma, Butte, Sutter, Yolo, Monterey
How to tell it apart
vs Dalea: Amorpha flowers reduce to a single purple banner petal (no wings or keel) and its leaflets are gland-dotted; Dalea flowers retain more petal parts and it is generally a low herb or subshrub.; vs Astragalus: Amorpha is a woody shrub with erect spike-like clusters of 1-petaled flowers; Astragalus is an herb with normal banner-wing-keel pea flowers and an inflated or grooved pod.; vs Robinia: Amorpha bears dense erect spikes of tiny 1-petaled purple flowers and unarmed stems; black locust (Robinia) has drooping racemes of large white pea flowers and paired spines.; vs Colutea: Amorpha has narrow flower spikes and tiny 1--2-seeded gland-dotted pods; Colutea (bladder senna) has yellow pea flowers and large inflated papery pods.; vs Glycyrrhiza: Amorpha leaflets bear head-like glands and flowers keep only one petal; Glycyrrhiza has normal pea flowers and bur-like prickly pods.
Frequently asked questions
Is Amorpha californica native to California?
Yes. Amorpha californica is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Amorpha californica grow?
Amorpha californica occurs in San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Ventura, Riverside, Orange, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Placer and other counties.
What plant family does Amorpha californica belong to?
Amorpha californica is in the Fabaceae family, genus Amorpha.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.