Psorothamnus arborescens var. arborescens

Mojave indigo bush

Family: Fabaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 4.3

Mojave indigo bush is a California native shrub found in southwestern Mojave Desert regions of Kern and San Bernardino counties in desert habitats at elevations of 400 to 800 meters. Flowering from April to May, this plant produces lavender to purple flowers in small clusters. Growing as a dense, spreading shrub 1 to 3 meters tall with grayish-green branches, it develops a distinctive woody structure with multiple stems. Its leaves feature small lanceolate to ovate leaflets, typically 2.5 millimeters or more wide, with a terminal leaflet often aligned with the stem axis. The plant's calyx is 7 to 9 millimeters long and covered in sparse to dense hairs, giving it a distinctive textural appearance.

Habitat: Desert

Bloom period: Apr-May

Elevation: 400-800 m

Bioregions: sw DMoj (Kern, San Bernardino cos.)

California counties: San Bernardino, Inyo, Riverside, Mono, Kern

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