Flower profile

Cliff fendlerbush

Fendlera rupicola

Cliff fendlerbush (Fendlera rupicola) is a shrub in the Hydrangeaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly April–June across the U.S.

Native to New Mexico

Cliff fendlerbush is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states.

6states where USDA records it

611NM sightings*

1,768U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: New Mexico

Quick look

Fendlera rupicola, commonly known as the cliff fendlerbush or the false mockorange, is a shrub that grows in dry locations in the south central mountain regions of North America.
From Wikipedia's article Fendlera rupicola, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Hydrangeaceae 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 6 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as native to New Mexico. ^NatureServe
USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as white. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as mid summer. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 6 ft. ^{USDA PLANTS}
iNaturalist has 611 research-grade sightings of it in New Mexico, ranking #95 among the 152 flowers on our New Mexico list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month in New Mexico (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (33 records)

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
New Mexico: Not listed Not on New Mexico state endangered plant species (19.21.2.9 NMAC). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in New Mexico. ^{19.21.2.9 NMAC}
Rare elsewhere: Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: UT (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 cliff fendlerbush in 6 states.

AKMEVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILWIMINYRIMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTCAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Utah.

New Mexico counties with USDA records: Bernalillo, Catron, Dona Ana, Eddy, Grant, Hidalgo, Lincoln, Los Alamos, Luna, McKinley, Mora, Otero, Rio Arriba, San Juan, Sandoval, Sierra, Socorro, Taos.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives Cliff fendlerbush a high shade tolerance, high drought tolerance and low moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 7.0 to 8.5 and winter lows down to -13 °F.

Shade tolerance: High
Drought tolerance: High
Moisture use: Low
Soil textures it is adapted to: coarse
Soil pH range: 7.0 to 8.5
Minimum temperature tolerated: -13 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum): 70
Annual precipitation range: 10 to 35 inches
Minimum root depth: 10 inches
Salinity tolerance: None
Fertility requirement: Low
Growth rate: Moderate
Lifespan: Moderate
Active growth period: Summer
Fruit or seed: · Summer to Fall
Can be propagated by: bare root, container, cuttings, seed
Commercial availability: Contracting Only

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for FERU. 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 48 counties across 6 states; the most are in New Mexico (18), Texas (11), Arizona (9).

More from the Hydrangeaceae family (9 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Wild hydrangea, Oakleaf hydrangea, Lewis' mock orange, Sweet mock orange, Kanawao, Bigleaf hydrangea, Panicle hydrangea, Mountain hydrangea.

More New Mexico flowers

Bigleaf hydrangea

Hydrangea macrophylla

🌷 Garden flower

🌷 Grown in New Mexico gardens

Panicle hydrangea

Hydrangea paniculata

🌷 Flowering shrub

🌷 Grown in New Mexico gardens

Sweet mock orange

Philadelphus coronarius

🌷 Flowering shrub

🌷 Grown in New Mexico gardens

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile FERU.
iNaturalist, Fendlera rupicola: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Fendlera rupicola (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
New Mexico: New Mexico state endangered plant species (19.21.2.9 NMAC).
New Mexico: New Mexico Noxious Weed List (NM Department of Agriculture, updated June 2020).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Fendlera rupicola (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
Photo: Evan M. Raskin via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.