Chrysolepis chrysophylla var. minor

Bush chinquapin

Family: Fagaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Bush chinquapin is a California native shrub found in northwestern and central western California in conifer forests, closed-cone pine forests, and chaparral at elevations up to 1,800 meters. Flowering from June to September, this plant produces small cream-colored flowers with distinctive folded leaves and upturned margins. Growing as a compact shrub or small tree to 5 meters tall, it has a dense, rounded form with multiple stems. Its leaves are thick and leathery, with distinctive folded blades and edges that curl upward, creating a unique architectural silhouette. The plant forms dense thickets in its native forest and chaparral habitats, providing important shelter and habitat for local wildlife.

Habitat: Conifer forest, closed-cone-pine forest, chaparral

Bloom period: Jun-Sep

Elevation: < 1800 m

Bioregions: NW, CW (exc SCoRI)

California counties: Mendocino, Monterey, Alameda, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Contra Costa, Santa Cruz, Humboldt, Marin, San Luis Obispo, Napa, Trinity, Lake, Del Norte, Sonoma, Siskiyou, Mono

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