Prunus andersonii
Desert peach
(c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Steve Matson · licence
Family: Rosaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Prunus andersonii (Desert peach) is a native California shrub in the Rosaceae family, recognized by thorny habit, small narrow leaves, and dry splitting fruits in high elevation desert habitats.
Desert peach is a California native shrub found on the eastern Sierra Nevada slopes, Great Basin, and Desert Mountains in rocky slopes, scrub, and pinyon-juniper woodland at elevations of 900 to 2,600 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces dark pink to nearly white flowers 8 to 11 millimeters long in small clusters. Growing as a much-branched, thorny shrub less than 3 meters tall with dense branching, it develops a distinctive compact form. Its deciduous leaves are small and narrow, typically 9 to 30 millimeters long, elliptic to oblanceolate with finely serrated edges and a long-tapered base. The fruit develops as a small 10 to 18 millimeter obovoid or nearly spherical drupe, turning green-yellow to red-orange when mature.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 6 sympatric species; key features are thorny habit, small narrow leaves, and dry splitting fruits in high elevation desert habitats
Habitat and range
Habitat: Rocky slopes, flats, scrub, pinyon/juniper woodland
Elevation: 900-2600 m
California counties: Lassen, Kern, Mono, Inyo, Modoc, Plumas, El Dorado, Alpine, Placer, Sierra, Nevada, Tulare, Lake, Amador, San Bernardino
Outside California: Nevada
Bloom period
Prunus andersonii blooms Mar-May.
How to tell it apart
vs Quercus: Prunus has simple leaves with fine teeth; oak leaves are lobed or have coarse rounded teeth.; vs Rhamnus: Prunus has fleshy fruits with single hard pits; buckthorn has berry-like fruits with multiple seeds.; vs Malus: Prunus fruits have a single hard pit; apple fruits have a papery core with multiple seeds.; vs Frangula: Prunus has cup-shaped flower base that falls off; alder buckthorn has persistent berry-like fruit base.; vs Pyrus: Prunus produces single-pitted drupes; pear produces pome fruits with papery seed chambers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Prunus andersonii native to California?
Yes. Prunus andersonii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Prunus andersonii bloom?
Prunus andersonii blooms Mar-May.
Where in California does Prunus andersonii grow?
Prunus andersonii occurs in Lassen, Kern, Mono, Inyo, Modoc, Plumas, El Dorado, Alpine and other counties, at elevations of 900-2600 m.
What plant family does Prunus andersonii belong to?
Prunus andersonii is in the Rosaceae family, genus Prunus.
What habitat does Prunus andersonii grow in?
Prunus andersonii grows in Rocky slopes, flats, scrub, pinyon/juniper woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.