Styrax redivivus
California snowdrop bush
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Styracaceae · Type: Shrub / Tree · Native
Styrax redivivus (California snowdrop bush) is a native California shrub / tree in the Styracaceae family, recognized by Only representative of the Styracaceae family in California, with no related genera present.
California snowdrop bush is a California native shrub found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, Sacramento Valley, southern Coast Ranges, southern California, Transverse Ranges, Peninsular Ranges, and Mojave Desert in dry places within chaparral and woodland habitats at elevations generally below 1,500 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces delicate white flowers in bell-shaped clusters 12 to 26 millimeters long, with 5 to 10 soft lobes. Growing 1 to 4 meters tall with slender branching stems, it forms an elegantly structured shrub with distinctive white filaments and anthers. Its leaves are ovate to nearly round, 2 to 8 centimeters long, with smooth edges and petioles 3 to 14 millimeters in length. The fruit is 11 to 15 millimeters long, containing a light brown, smooth, spheric-ovoid seed.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Only representative of the Styracaceae family in California, with no related genera present
Habitat and range
Habitat: Uncommon. Dry places in chaparral, woodland
Elevation: generally < 1500 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Lake, Shasta, San Luis Obispo, Glenn, Colusa, Amador, Orange, Placer, San Diego, Sacramento, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Butte, Riverside, Fresno, Tehama, Tulare, El Dorado, Calaveras, Mariposa, Plumas, Sierra, Madera, Trinity, Siskiyou, Contra Costa, Napa, Santa Clara, Mono, Yuba
Outside California: southwestern Oregon
Bloom period
Styrax redivivus blooms Apr-Jun.
How to tell it apart
vs Philadelphus: Styrax has alternate leaves and a fused, bell-shaped corolla; mock orange (Philadelphus) has opposite leaves and 4 separate spreading petals.; vs Prunus: Styrax flowers form a white bell of fused lobes; wild cherry and plum (Prunus) flowers have 5 fully separate petals and usually finely toothed leaves.; vs Amelanchier: Styrax has entire leaves and a nodding tubular-bell white corolla; serviceberry (Amelanchier) has toothed leaves and 5 narrow, strap-shaped separate petals.; vs Cornus: Styrax leaves are alternate; dogwood (Cornus) leaves are opposite with arching parallel veins.; vs Frangula: Styrax bears showy 12-26 mm white bell flowers; coffeeberry (Frangula) has tiny, inconspicuous greenish flowers and a fleshy berry.
Frequently asked questions
Is Styrax redivivus native to California?
Yes. Styrax redivivus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Styrax redivivus bloom?
Styrax redivivus blooms Apr-Jun.
Where in California does Styrax redivivus grow?
Styrax redivivus occurs in San Bernardino, Lake, Shasta, San Luis Obispo, Glenn, Colusa, Amador, Orange and other counties, at elevations of generally < 1500 m.
What plant family does Styrax redivivus belong to?
Styrax redivivus is in the Styracaceae family, genus Styrax.
What habitat does Styrax redivivus grow in?
Styrax redivivus grows in Uncommon. Dry places in chaparral, woodland.
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.