Amorpha californica var. napensis

Napa false indigo, Napa False Indigo, Napa false indigo, Napa false indigo

Family: Fabaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Napa false indigo is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native shrub found in southern North Coast Ranges in Napa and Sonoma counties, and northern San Francisco Bay Area in Marin County, growing in chaparral habitats at elevations below 800 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces purple flowers in dense clusters. Growing to approximately 1 to 2 meters tall with an upright, somewhat glabrous form, it develops woody stems that spread in a loose, open pattern. Its compound leaves have numerous dark green leaflets, each small and arranged pinnately along the stem. Its delicate purple flowers feature calyx lobes that are exceptionally short, measuring just 0.5 to 1 millimeter in length.

Habitat: Chaparral

Bloom period: May-Jul

Elevation: < 800 m

Bioregions: s NCoR (Napa, Sonoma cos.), n SnFrB (Marin Co.).

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.