Shrubs

Detailed flowers, leaves, and seeds on an apache plume.

Common Shrubs at Grand Canyon

 

Fernbush
Chamaebatiaria millefolium – Rosaceae

NPS Photo / E. Gelfat

Fernbush

Chamaebatiaria millefolium – Rosaceae

• Easily identified by its fern-shaped leaves, which are 1-4 inches long
• Only woody shrub in the area to have leaves of this shape and size
• 3-10 feet tall and densely branched
• Unique foliage and attractive, cone-shaped array of flowers make it suitable as an ornamental plant in landscaping
• Serves as a host plant for the spring azure butterfly
• Leaves are covered in sticky glands that produce a pleasant aroma

 

Rubber Rabbitbrush
Ericameria nauseosa – Asteraceae

NPS Photo / E. Gelfat

Rubber Rabbitbrush

Ericameria nauseosa – Asteraceae

• Large, bushy shrub with foliage ranging from green to gray
• Somewhat broom-shaped with many stems and small leaves
• Numerous yellow flowers in late summer to early fall
• Fire adapted species that sprouts vigorously after wildfire
• Hardy plant that can be used in landscaping or for windbreaks
• Contains latex that could be used in rubber production

 

Wax Current
Ribes cereum – Grossulariaceae

NPS Photo / E. Gelfat

Wax Current

Ribes cereum – Grossulariaceae

• Large shrub, up to 6 feet tall
• Leaves are roughly oval with shallow lobes and a sticky surface
• Produces a pleasant spicey aroma which can sometimes be smelled from several yards away
• Has small tube-shaped flowers that are white to pink
• Produces edible red or orange berries (currents)

 

Big Sagebrush
Artemisia tridentata – Asteraceae

NPS Photo / E. Gelfat

Big Sagebrush

Artemisia tridentata – Asteraceae

• Large woody shrub (1-9 feet tall) with thick, gnarled trunks
• Small Blue-gray leaves with three distinct lobes
• Strong sage aroma
• Drought tolerant plant that often occurs in dry basins or plateaus
• Not well adapted wildfire
• Threatened by invasive cheatgrass, which increases the risk of wildfires
• Food source for wildlife such as pronghorn, sage grouse, and rabbits

 

Mountain Mahogany
Cercocarpus ledifolius – Rosaceae

NPS Photo / E. Gelfat

Mountain Mahogany

Cercocarpus ledifolius – Rosaceae

• Large shrub / small tree, up to 25 feet tall
• Has small, stiff, evergreen leaves shaped like elongated ovals
• Long-lived species, up to 1300 years
• Seeds have a long white feather-like tufts that aid in wind dispersal
• Fixes its own nitrogen (essential nutrient) from the atmosphere, unlike most plants
• Can grow abundantly after fires and form dense thickets

 

Cliffrose
Purshia stansburyana – Rosaceae

NPS Photo / Ty Karlovetz

Cliffrose

Purshia stansburyana – Rosaceae

• Shrub or small tree 2-12 feet tall
• Older individuals have shaggy, fibrous bark
• Small three-lobed leaves are thick and sticky with a distinctive odor
• Seeds have long feather-shaped white tufts. Often, these tufts form small clusters
• Has showy white and yellow flowers which can be quite prolific
• Food source for elk, deer, pronghorn, and domestic livestock

 

Apache Plume
Fallugia paradoxa – Rosaceae

NPS Photo / Michael Quinn

Apache Plume

Fallugia paradoxa – Rosaceae

• Bushy, many-branched shrub up to 6 feet tall
• Has attractive white flowers throughout the summer
• Seeds are produce in clusters and have long white feather-like tufts
• Similar in appearance to cliffrose, but can be distinguished by:
• More bushy, less tree-like form
• More seeds per cluster, producing a dense fluffy tuft
• Thinner, lighter-colored leaves which lack a sticky coating

 

Fremont Barberry
Mahonia fremontii – Berberidaceae

NPS Photo / Ty Karlovetz

Fremont Barberry

Mahonia fremontii – Berberidaceae

• Large bushy shrub: 3-14 feet tall
• Easily distinguished by sharp teeth on the margins of the leaves
• Produces abundant yellow flowers in the spring
• Has yellow, red, or dark blue berries in late summer
• Berries are edible, but not particularly palatable