Cestrum elegans
Purple cestrum
(c) Tony Rebelo, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Solanaceae · Type: Shrub · Not Native
Cestrum elegans (Purple cestrum) is a non-native California shrub in the Solanaceae family, recognized by flower color and purple stem hairs.
Purple cestrum is a naturalized shrub found in northern coastal California, San Francisco Bay Area, and potentially other regions in disturbed areas at elevations below 1,000 meters. Flowering from February to August, this plant produces bright red to pink-purple tubular flowers 15 to 25 millimeters long in compact clusters of 5 to 10 blooms. Growing as a shrub up to 3 meters tall with soft, dense hairs particularly noticeable on its stems and branches, often appearing purple-tinged. Its leaves are relatively large, approximately 4 to 13 centimeters long, ovate in shape with sharp pointed tips. The fruit is bright red, approximately 15 millimeters long with a white spongy interior containing about 10 dark brown seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species; key features are flower color and purple stem hairs
Habitat and range
Habitat: Disturbed areas
Elevation: < 1000 m
Outside California: native to Mexico
Bloom period
Cestrum elegans blooms Feb-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Nicotiana: Cestrum is a woody shrub; Nicotiana is typically herbaceous.; vs Lonicera: Cestrum has nightshade-family flowers with 5 stamens; Lonicera honeysuckles have irregular tubular flowers with protruding stamens.; vs Iochroma: Cestrum has narrow funnel flowers; Iochroma has wider tubular flowers in hanging clusters.; vs Fuchsia: Cestrum has funnel nightshade flowers; Fuchsia has distinctive hanging flowers with separated petals and long stamens.; vs Salpichroa: Cestrum is an erect shrub; Salpichroa is a trailing or climbing vine.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cestrum elegans native to California?
No. Cestrum elegans is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Cestrum elegans bloom?
Cestrum elegans blooms Feb-Aug.
What plant family does Cestrum elegans belong to?
Cestrum elegans is in the Solanaceae family, genus Cestrum.
What habitat does Cestrum elegans grow in?
Cestrum elegans grows in Disturbed areas.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · 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.