Holodiscus discolor var. microphyllus

Small-leaf creambush

Holodiscus discolor — parent species of Holodiscus discolor var. microphyllus

Photo: parent species Holodiscus discolor · (c) Gavin Slater, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence

Family: Rosaceae · Type: Shrub · Native

Holodiscus discolor var. microphyllus (Small-leaf creambush) is a native California shrub in the Rosaceae family, recognized by 3 sympatric varieties; distinguished by dense hairiness and high-elevation mountain habitat.

Small-leaf creambush is a California native shrub found in the Sierra Nevada, San Gabriel Mountains, San Bernardino Mountains, San Jacinto Mountains, eastern Sierra Nevada, and desert mountains in rocky places at elevations of 1,100 to 4,000 meters. Flowering from June to September, this plant produces creamy white flowers in compact clusters 2 to 8 centimeters long. Growing as a dense shrub 30 to 100 centimeters tall with hairy twigs, it forms a compact, rounded shape. Its leaves are small, approximately 3 to 30 millimeters long, roundish to obovate, with long hairs on one or both surfaces and small teeth near the leaf tip. The shrub has a wedge-shaped leaf base and dense, somewhat compact growth habit.

Identification and appearance

Key characters: 3 sympatric varieties; distinguished by dense hairiness and high-elevation mountain habitat

Habitat and range

Habitat: Rocky places, outcrops

Elevation: 1100-4000 m

California counties: Kern, Tulare, Inyo, Alpine, Los Angeles, Mono, Tehama, Mendocino, San Bernardino, Madera, Trinity, Fresno, Riverside, El Dorado, Mariposa, Del Norte, Santa Barbara, Tuolumne, Amador, Ventura, Nevada, Monterey, Plumas, San Diego, Placer, Siskiyou, Butte, Shasta

Outside California: to Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, Baja California

Bloom period

Holodiscus discolor var. microphyllus blooms Jun-Sep.

How to tell it apart

vs Cercocarpus: Holodiscus has large foamy flower panicles with tiny petals; Cercocarpus has inconspicuous flowers with no petals.; vs Ribes: Holodiscus has pyramidal flower clusters; currants have drooping or upright racemes with distinctive tubular flowers.; vs Ceanothus: Holodiscus has pyramidal panicles of saucer-shaped flowers; Ceanothus has rounded clusters of tiny cupped flowers.; vs Rubus: Holodiscus has tiny flowers in foam-like masses; Rubus has larger individual flowers with prominent petals.; vs Corylus: Holodiscus has showy white flower panicles; hazelnut has inconspicuous catkins and large nuts.

Frequently asked questions

Is Holodiscus discolor var. microphyllus native to California?

Yes. Holodiscus discolor var. microphyllus is native to California (recorded as native).

When does Holodiscus discolor var. microphyllus bloom?

Holodiscus discolor var. microphyllus blooms Jun-Sep.

Where in California does Holodiscus discolor var. microphyllus grow?

Holodiscus discolor var. microphyllus occurs in Kern, Tulare, Inyo, Alpine, Los Angeles, Mono, Tehama, Mendocino and other counties, at elevations of 1100-4000 m.

What plant family does Holodiscus discolor var. microphyllus belong to?

Holodiscus discolor var. microphyllus is in the Rosaceae family, genus Holodiscus.

What habitat does Holodiscus discolor var. microphyllus grow in?

Holodiscus discolor var. microphyllus grows in Rocky places, outcrops.

Related species

Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.

All Holodiscus species · All Rosaceae

Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos

Last updated 2026-10-06

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