Ephedra viridis

Green ephedra

Family: Ephedraceae · Type: shrub · Native

Green ephedra is a California native shrub found in the southern Sierra Nevada Mountains, Tehachapi, San Joaquin Valley, southern Coast Ranges, Transverse Ranges, San Jacinto Mountains, Peninsular Ranges, Great Basin, and Mojave and Sonoran Deserts in sagebrush scrub, creosote-bush scrub, and pinyon-juniper woodland at elevations of 900 to 2,300 meters. With its distinctive broom-like structure, the plant features bright to yellow-green branches that age to a golden yellow, creating an eye-catching form in arid landscapes. Growing 0.5 to 1 meter tall, this shrub develops erect, branching stems with a dark brown pith and a striking architectural silhouette. Its small leaves, typically two per node and 1.5 to 6 millimeters long, have persistent brown bases that become swollen with age. The plant produces both pollen and seed cones, with seed cones measuring 6 to 10 millimeters long and featuring scarious bracts with yellow-translucent margins.

Habitat: Sagebrush scrub, creosote-bush scrub, pinyon/juniper woodland

Elevation: 900-2300 m

Bioregions: s SNF, c SNH (e edge), s SNH, Teh, SnJV, SCoR, TR, SnJt, PR exc SnJt (se corner), GB, DMoj, DSon (n&ampe edge)

California counties: Mono, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Kern, Riverside, Inyo, Lassen, Ventura, San Diego, Tulare, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Plumas, Modoc, Alpine, Sierra

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