Ephedra trifurca

Longleaf ephedra

Family: Ephedraceae · Type: shrub · Native

Longleaf ephedra is a native shrub found in the Mojave Desert (Bioregion D) in creosote-bush scrub, sandy washes, flats, and stabilized dunes at elevations from 30 meters below sea level to 2,100 meters. Its pale green twigs age to yellow or gray-green, with distinctive thorn-like buds at the tips, creating an architectural branching structure. Growing 0.4 to 2 meters tall with an upright form, the plant develops slender stems with distinctive gray, fibrous leaf sheaths. Its leaves are arranged in whorls of three, each 7 to 15 millimeters long with spine-like tips, creating a delicate, structured appearance. The plant produces distinctive seed cones 10 to 14 millimeters long with papery, translucent bracts that have reddish-brown centers.

Habitat: Creosote-bush scrub, sandy washes, flats, stabilized dunes

Elevation: -30-2100 m

Bioregions: D

California counties: Imperial, Riverside, San Diego, San Bernardino, Inyo

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