Chilopsis linearis subsp. arcuata

Desert-Willow

Family: Bignoniaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Desert willow is a California native shrub found in southern California, eastern Transverse Ranges, eastern Peninsular Ranges, and desert regions in sandy washes at elevations below 2,100 meters. Flowering from May to September, this plant produces delicate white to light pink or lavender flowers with yellow and purple throat markings, the blossoms fragrant and 2 to 5 centimeters long with jagged, wavy margins. Growing as a willow-like deciduous shrub 1.5 to 7 meters tall with arching branches, it has distinctive long linear leaves curved and 10 to 26 centimeters in length. Its leaves are generally alternate, sometimes mixed with opposite or whorled arrangements on the same plant, creating an elegant and dynamic growth pattern. The fruit is a slender linear pod less than 35 centimeters long, bearing seeds 6 to 12 millimeters long with long hairs at both ends.

Habitat: Common. Sandy washes

Bloom period: May-Sep

Elevation: < 2100 m

Bioregions: SCo, e TR, e PR, D

California counties: San Bernardino, Imperial, San Diego, Riverside, Monterey, Tuolumne, Los Angeles, Inyo, Yolo, Santa Barbara, Kern

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