Nitrophila occidentalis

Boraxweed

Family: Amaranthaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Boraxweed is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, Shasta Valley, Great Valley, southern California, western Peninsular Ranges, Great Basin, and Mojave Desert in moist, alkaline soils at elevations below 2,100 meters. Flowering from May to October, this plant produces pink to white flowers that start pink and fade to white with age. Growing with decumbent to erect stems that can be prostrate or upright, it forms low-spreading clumps with occasional scale-like leaves on its lower stems. Its leaves are sessile, often appearing minimal or reduced on the lower parts of the plant. The tiny seeds are approximately one millimeter long, colored black or brown with a dull finish.

Habitat: Moist, alkaline soils

Bloom period: May-Oct

Elevation: < 2100 m

Bioregions: KR/CaRH (Shasta Valley), GV, SCo, w PR, GB, DMoj

California counties: San Diego, Merced, Riverside, Orange, Inyo, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Kern, San Joaquin, Lassen, Fresno, Mono, Tulare, Siskiyou, Modoc, Kings, Alameda, Solano, Madera, Glenn

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