Petrophytum caespitosum subsp. caespitosum

Family: Rosaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Rock spirea is a California native shrub found in the White and Inyo Mountains and desert mountains in limestone ledges and pinyon-juniper woodland at elevations of 1,350 to 3,050 meters. Flowering from May to September, this plant produces small white flowers in dense, compact clusters. Growing as a low, spreading cushion-like shrub with multiple woody stems, it forms tight mats across rocky terrain. Its small leaves are closely packed, thick and somewhat leathery, providing a dense texture to the plant's overall form. The plant extends its range into the Rocky Mountains, highlighting its adaptation to harsh, rocky high-elevation environments.

Habitat: Limestone ledges, rocks, often in pinyon/juniper woodland

Bloom period: May-Sep

Elevation: 1350-3050 m

Bioregions: W&ampI, DMtns

California counties: Inyo, San Bernardino, Mono

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