Psorothamnus arborescens
Mojave indigo-bush, Mojave Indigo-Bush
(c) Jim Morefield, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Psorothamnus arborescens (Mojave indigo-bush) is a native California shrub in the Fabaceae family.
Mojave indigo-bush is a California native shrub found in desert regions at elevations typically between 300 to 1,500 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces indigo-blue to violet-purple flowers in open racemes, creating delicate clusters of color. Growing as a compact shrub less than one meter tall, it can be either armed or unarmed with a glabrous to slightly puberulent appearance. Its leaves typically feature 5 to 7 leaflets, with terminal leaflets often continuous with the main stem axis, each leaflet measuring 3 to 14 millimeters long. The plant produces distinctive ovoid-ellipsoid fruits 7 to 10 millimeters long, which are sparsely dotted with large, yellowish glands.
Habitat and range
California counties: San Bernardino, Inyo, Kern, Riverside, Mono, Imperial
How to tell it apart
vs Psorodendron: Psorothamnus has gland-dotted surfaces and indigo-purple flowers; Psorodendron has smooth surfaces and yellow flowers.; vs Astragalus: Psorothamnus has gland-dotted surfaces and single-seeded pods; Astragalus has smooth surfaces and multi-seeded inflated pods.; vs Dalea: Psorothamnus has petals arising from flower base; Dalea has petals arising from a fused stamen column.; vs Condea: Psorothamnus has pea-shaped flowers; Condea has two-lipped tubular flowers (mint family).; vs Scutellaria: Psorothamnus has pea-shaped flowers; Scutellaria has hooded two-lipped flowers (mint family).
Frequently asked questions
Is Psorothamnus arborescens native to California?
Yes. Psorothamnus arborescens is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Psorothamnus arborescens grow?
Psorothamnus arborescens occurs in San Bernardino, Inyo, Kern, Riverside, Mono, Imperial.
What plant family does Psorothamnus arborescens belong to?
Psorothamnus arborescens is in the Fabaceae family, genus Psorothamnus.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Psorothamnus arborescens var. arborescens — Mojave indigo bush
- Psorothamnus arborescens var. californicus — California indigo bush
- Psorothamnus arborescens var. minutifolius — Johnson's indigobush
- Psorothamnus emoryi — Dyebush
- Psorothamnus fremontii — Fremont's dalea
- Psorothamnus fremontii var. attenuatus — Narrow-leaved psorothamnus
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.