Flower profile

Blackbrush

Coleogyne ramosissima

Blackbrush (Coleogyne ramosissima) is a shrub in the Rosaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly March–May across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

Blackbrush is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 2 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in March–May.

5states where USDA records it

2Bloomipedia state lists include it

2,959U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Nevada, Utah

Quick look

Coleogyne ramosissima or blackbrush, is a low lying, dark grayish-green, aromatic, spiny, perennial, soft wooded shrub, native to the deserts of the southwestern United States. It is called blackbrush because the gray branches darken when wet by rains. It is in the rose family (Rosaceae) and is monotypic.
From Wikipedia's article Coleogyne, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Rosaceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub with a perennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 5 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as native to Utah and Nevada. ^NatureServe
In Utah, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–May. ^iNaturalist
In Nevada, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–May. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as yellow. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as mid spring. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 6 ft. ^{USDA PLANTS}
iNaturalist has 947 research-grade sightings of it in Utah, ranking #59 among the 153 flowers on our Utah list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 563 research-grade sightings of it in Nevada, ranking #70 among the 132 flowers on our Nevada list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (387 records)

Bloom time in the 2 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it

State	Type	Peak bloom	Sightings*
Utah	Native	April–May	947
Nevada	Native	March–May	563

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA): Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}
NatureServe global: G5 Secure worldwide. ^NatureServe
Utah: No list Utah has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Utah ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Utah.
Nevada: Not listed Not on Nevada fully protected plants, critically endangered (NAC 527.010). NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Nevada. ^{NAC 527.010}
Rare elsewhere: Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: CO (S2). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records blackbrush in 5 states.

AKMEVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILWIMINYRIMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTCAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, Utah.

Utah counties with USDA records: Emery, Garfield, Grand, Kane, San Juan, Washington, Wayne.

Nevada counties with USDA records: Clark, Lincoln, Nye.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives Blackbrush a high shade tolerance, high drought tolerance and low moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 5.9 to 8.0 and winter lows down to -18 °F.

Shade tolerance: High
Drought tolerance: High
Moisture use: Low
Soil textures it is adapted to: coarse, medium
Soil pH range: 5.9 to 8.0
Minimum temperature tolerated: -18 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum): 140
Annual precipitation range: 6 to 16 inches
Minimum root depth: 24 inches
Salinity tolerance: Low
Fertility requirement: Low
Growth rate: Slow
Lifespan: Long
Active growth period: Summer
Fruit or seed: Brown · Spring to Summer
Can be propagated by: bare root, container, seed
Commercial availability: Contracting Only

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for CORA. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.

Names, range and relatives

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 22 counties across 5 states; the most are in Utah (7), California (6), Arizona (5).

More from the Rosaceae family (103 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Roses (genus Rosa), Multiflora rose, Mock strawberry, Black cherry, Toyon, Thimbleberry, Wineberry, Black raspberry.

More Utah flowers

Stansbury's cliffrose

Purshia stansburyana

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🌼 Blooms in UT: April–June

Curlleaf Mountain mahogany

Cercocarpus ledifolius

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🌼 Few flowering records in UT

Utah serviceberry

Amelanchier utahensis

Native

🌼 Blooms in UT: March–May

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile CORA.
iNaturalist, Coleogyne ramosissima: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Coleogyne (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Utah: Utah noxious weed list (Utah Admin. Code R68-9-3).
Nevada: Nevada fully protected plants, critically endangered (NAC 527.010).
Nevada: Nevada noxious weeds (NAC 555.010).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Coleogyne ramosissima (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
Photo: Anders Hastings via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.