Desert almond

Prunus fasciculata

Somewhat thorny deciduous shrub 3-8 ft. tall with fuzzy almond-shaped fruits and tiny pale yellowish flowers, blooming March to June. Adapted to well-drained coarse soils in washes, dry streambeds, mesas and mountain slopes within the harsh and arid desert scrub and woodland habitats of the Great Basin, Mojave Desert and parts of the Sonoran Desert; 2,000 to 7,000 ft. elevation. Sprouts from the crown, forming thickets. Often associated with Douglas rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus) and Green ephedra (Ephedra viridis). Good palatability to grazing animals. Attracts bees and is a caterpillar host of the Burns' buckmoth and Neumoegen's buckmoth.