Psorothamnus arborescens var. minutifolius
Johnson's indigobush
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Family: Fabaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Psorothamnus arborescens var. minutifolius (Johnson's indigobush) is a native California shrub in the Fabaceae family, recognized by no sympatric species.
Johnson's indigobush is a California native shrub found in central and northern Desert Mountains and northern Mojave Desert regions on desert mountain slopes, canyons, and talus at elevations of 150 to 1,900 meters. Flowering from May to October, this shrub produces small flowers with pale purple to lavender petals. Growing with multiple upright stems 1 to 2 meters tall, it forms a dense, rounded shape with woody branches. Its leaves feature lanceolate to ovate leaflets generally 2.5 millimeters or more wide, arranged along slender branches and appearing distinctly jointed to the stem axis. The plant has a sparse, delicate appearance with glabrous to loosely hairy foliage that blends softly into its rugged desert mountain habitat.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; no sympatric species
Habitat and range
Habitat: Desert mountain slopes, canyons, talus
Elevation: 150-1900 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Inyo, Kern, Mono, Riverside
Outside California: southwestern Nevada
Bloom period
Psorothamnus arborescens var. minutifolius blooms Generally May-Oct.
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 var. minutifolius native to California?
Yes. Psorothamnus arborescens var. minutifolius is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Psorothamnus arborescens var. minutifolius bloom?
Psorothamnus arborescens var. minutifolius blooms Generally May-Oct.
Where in California does Psorothamnus arborescens var. minutifolius grow?
Psorothamnus arborescens var. minutifolius occurs in San Bernardino, Inyo, Kern, Mono, Riverside, at elevations of 150-1900 m.
What plant family does Psorothamnus arborescens var. minutifolius belong to?
Psorothamnus arborescens var. minutifolius is in the Fabaceae family, genus Psorothamnus.
What habitat does Psorothamnus arborescens var. minutifolius grow in?
Psorothamnus arborescens var. minutifolius grows in Desert mountain slopes, canyons, talus.
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.