Bloomipedia
Deerweed (Acmispon glaber)
Photo: W. Terry Hunefeld via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Deerweed

Acmispon glaber

Native to California

Deerweed is a flowering plant. In California it's most often seen in bloom in January–June.

–states
23,381CA sightings*
23,381U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: California

Quick look

Acmispon glaber is a perennial subshrub in the family Fabaceae. The plant is a pioneer species found in dry areas of California, Arizona, and Mexico. It is commonly found in many areas including chaparral, coastal sand and roadsides at elevations below 1500 m.

  • It belongs to the Fabaceae family. iNaturalist
  • NatureServe lists it as native to California. NatureServe
  • In California, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in January–June. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 23,381 research-grade sightings of it in California, ranking #18 among the 110 flowers on our California list. iNaturalist

Deerweed gift ideas

Handmade deerweed gifts from independent makers.

🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.

  • Placeholder

    Deerweed art print

    Gift pick coming soon

  • Placeholder

    Deerweed greeting card

    Gift pick coming soon

  • Placeholder

    Deerweed mug

    Gift pick coming soon

  • Placeholder

    Deerweed earrings

    Gift pick coming soon

  • Placeholder

    Deerweed embroidery pattern

    Gift pick coming soon

  • Placeholder

    Deerweed sticker

    Gift pick coming soon

When does it bloom?

In California, most flowering sightings come in January–June.

Flowering records by month in California (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (3,537 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
California
Not listed Not on California state-listed endangered, threatened and rare plants (14 CCR § 670.2), per CDFW's CNDDB list (July 2026). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in California. CNDDB listed plants (July 2026)
Rare elsewhere
No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

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)) 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 has no state-by-state distribution for this name, so we can't map it yet.

More California flowers

White clover (Trifolium repens)

White clover

Trifolium repens

Introduced

🌼 Blooms in CA: February–June
Common vetch (Vicia sativa)

Common vetch

Vicia sativa

Introduced

🌼 Blooms in CA: February–May
Hairy vetch (Vicia villosa)

Hairy vetch

Vicia villosa

Introduced

🌼 Blooms in CA: March–June

Sources