Sorbus californica
California mountain ash
(c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Rosaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Sorbus californica (California mountain ash) is a native California shrub in the Rosaceae family, recognized by shiny sticky buds and glaucous red fruit.
California mountain ash is a native shrub found in the Klamath Ranges, northern California coast ranges, Cascade Range, and Sierra Nevada Mountains in moist conifer forest at elevations of 1,200 to 4,300 meters. Flowering from May to June, this shrub produces white flowers with widely ovate petals 3 to 4 millimeters long in clusters. Growing 1 to 2 meters tall with reddish-brown stems that have shiny, sticky buds 5 to 12 millimeters long, it forms a dense, compact shape. Its compound leaves feature 7 to 9 shiny, oblong-ovate leaflets 2 to 4 centimeters long with reddish-brown axillary hairs. The shrub produces bright red, glaucous fruits 6 to 9 millimeters long, adding ornamental interest to mountain forest landscapes.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 3 sympatric species; key features are shiny sticky buds and glaucous red fruit
Habitat and range
Habitat: Moist conifer forest
Elevation: 1200-4300 m
California counties: Tulare, Amador, Plumas, El Dorado, Mono, Inyo, Placer, Fresno, Siskiyou, Madera, Nevada, Butte, Glenn, Santa Cruz, Modoc, Mariposa, Calaveras, Humboldt, Shasta, Sierra, Trinity, Tuolumne, Del Norte, Tehama, Mendocino, Alpine, Lassen
Outside California: southern Oregon, western Nevada
Bloom period
Sorbus californica blooms May-Jun.
How to tell it apart
vs Sambucus: Mountain ash has narrow leaflets and pome fruits; elderberry has broader leaflets and true berries.; vs Heteromeles: Mountain ash has pinnate leaves with 9-15 leaflets; toyon has simple toothed leaves.; vs Nandina: Mountain ash has pinnate leaves once-divided; heavenly bamboo has leaves divided 2-3 times.; vs Schinus: Mountain ash has bright red-orange pomes; pepper tree has pink-red drupes and aromatic foliage.; vs Pyracantha: Mountain ash has deciduous pinnate leaves; firethorn has evergreen simple leaves and thorns.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sorbus californica native to California?
Yes. Sorbus californica is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Sorbus californica bloom?
Sorbus californica blooms May-Jun.
Where in California does Sorbus californica grow?
Sorbus californica occurs in Tulare, Amador, Plumas, El Dorado, Mono, Inyo, Placer, Fresno and other counties, at elevations of 1200-4300 m.
What plant family does Sorbus californica belong to?
Sorbus californica is in the Rosaceae family, genus Sorbus.
What habitat does Sorbus californica grow in?
Sorbus californica grows in Moist conifer forest.
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.