Oxytropis oreophila

Family: Fabaceae · Type: perennial · Native

mountain locoweed is a California native perennial found in alpine and subalpine regions at elevations above 2,500 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces delicate pink-purple to white flowers in compact head-like clusters. Growing in dense, silvery-gray tufted clumps with silky stems, it forms low-growing cushions characteristic of high-altitude environments. Its leaves are composed of 7 to 17 small elliptic to ovate leaflets, each 2 to 10 millimeters long, creating a soft, compact foliage. The plant's distinctive inflated, thinly papery fruits spread out from the plant, adding to its unique alpine appearance.

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