Prunus fremontii
Desert apricot
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Rosaceae · Type: Shrub / Tree · Native
Prunus fremontii (Desert apricot) is a native California shrub / tree in the Rosaceae family, recognized by small ovate-round leaves with rounded bases and fuzzy yellow splitting fruits.
Desert apricot is a California native shrub found in eastern Peninsular Ranges and western Colorado Desert in rocky slopes, canyons, scrub, and pinyon/juniper woodland at elevations of 200 to 1,500 meters. Flowering from January to March, this plant produces white to light pink flowers in small clusters, each blossom 3 to 10 millimeters long. Growing as a much-branched, thorny shrub less than 4 meters tall with dense branching, it forms a compact and resilient structure. Its deciduous leaves are ovate to round, 6 to 30 millimeters long, with serrated edges and an obtuse base, creating a delicate texture against its woody stems. The fruit is a small, yellow, densely fuzzy drupe about 8 to 15 millimeters long with a thin, dry pulp that splits to reveal its stone.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 6 sympatric species; key features are small ovate-round leaves with rounded bases and fuzzy yellow splitting fruits
Habitat and range
Habitat: Rocky slopes, canyons, scrub, pinyon/juniper woodland
Elevation: 200-1500 m
California counties: Imperial, San Diego, Riverside, Kern, Inyo, San Bernardino
Outside California: Baja California
Bloom period
Prunus fremontii blooms Jan-Mar.
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 fremontii native to California?
Yes. Prunus fremontii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Prunus fremontii bloom?
Prunus fremontii blooms Jan-Mar.
Where in California does Prunus fremontii grow?
Prunus fremontii occurs in Imperial, San Diego, Riverside, Kern, Inyo, San Bernardino, at elevations of 200-1500 m.
What plant family does Prunus fremontii belong to?
Prunus fremontii is in the Rosaceae family, genus Prunus.
What habitat does Prunus fremontii grow in?
Prunus fremontii grows in Rocky slopes, canyons, 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.