Purshia tridentata

Bitterbrush, Bitterbrush

Family: Rosaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Bitterbrush is a native shrub found in western North American mountain ranges in sagebrush scrub, pinyon-juniper woodland, and conifer forest at elevations of 300 to 2,700 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces white to cream-colored flowers approximately 4 to 8 millimeters long with delicate obovate petals. Growing as a dense, rounded shrub 2 to 4 meters tall with multiple woody stems, it forms complex branching structures that provide important wildlife habitat. Its distinctive leaves have three to five lobes, with the central lobe typically ending in a small spine, giving the plant a unique textured appearance. The fruits are covered in a light, canescent (grayish-white) covering, with a style 5 to 7 millimeters long that adds to its intricate structural character.

California counties: Mono, Tulare, Inyo, San Bernardino, Alpine, Plumas, Riverside, Siskiyou, Lassen, El Dorado, Placer, Nevada, Sierra, Butte, Modoc, Shasta, Ventura, Los Angeles, Fresno, Mendocino, Trinity

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