Ceanothus greggii

Known by the common names Mountain Buckbrush or Desert Ceanothus, it is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico where it grows in desert scrub, sagebrush, chaparral, and other dry habitat. This shrub grows erect to nearly 2 meters in maximum height. Its woody parts are gray in color and somewhat woolly. The evergreen leaves are oppositely arranged and variable in shape. They may be toothed or smooth along the edges. The flower cluster is a small cluster of many white flowers. The fruit is a horned capsule a few millimeters wide which bursts explosively to expel the three seeds. The seeds require thermal scarification from wildfire before they can germinate. This shrub is eagerly browsed by livestock and wild ungulates such as Mule deer and Desert Bighorn Sheep. Also known to attract a variety of bird species.