Thamnosma montana

Turpentine broom

Family: Rutaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Turpentine broom is a California native shrub found in the Peninsular Ranges and Desert bioregions on dry slopes, washes, and mesa tops at elevations below 2,100 meters. Flowering from February to May, this plant produces dark purple flowers with elliptic petals 8 to 12 millimeters long with reflexed tips. Growing 3 to 6 decimeters tall with a distinctive broom-like form, the shrub has yellow-green stems that are densely gland-dotted and generally leafless. Its simple leaves are small, measuring 0.5 to 1.5 centimeters long. The fruit develops with lobes approximately 5 millimeters wide, containing 1 to 4 reniform seeds per chamber.

Habitat: dry slopes, washes, mesa tops

Bloom period: Feb-May

Elevation: < 2100 m

Bioregions: PR, D

California counties: San Bernardino, Riverside, Inyo, Imperial, San Diego, Los Angeles, Kern

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