Flower profile

Desert spinystar

Escobaria chlorantha

Desert spinystar (Escobaria chlorantha) is a flowering plant in the Cactaceae family, blooming mostly April–May across the U.S.

Native to Nevada

Desert spinystar is a flowering plant. In Nevada it's most often seen in bloom in April–May.

–states where USDA records it

1,684NV sightings*

2,193U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Nevada

Quick look

It belongs to the Cactaceae family. ^iNaturalist
NatureServe lists it as native to Nevada. ^NatureServe
In Nevada, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–May. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 1,684 research-grade sightings of it in Nevada, ranking #13 among the 132 flowers on our Nevada list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

In Nevada, most flowering sightings come in April–May.

Flowering records by month in Nevada (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (75 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: G3 Vulnerable worldwide. ^NatureServe
Nevada: Not listed Not on Nevada fully protected plants, critically endangered (NAC 527.010). NatureServe: S2, imperiled in Nevada. ^{NAC 527.010}
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.

Please leave it where it grows

Please don't pick or dig this flower: NatureServe ranks it S2 in Nevada. ^NatureServe

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.

Names, range and relatives

Other Escobaria on Bloomipedia (2): Spinystar, Whitecolumn foxtail cactus.

More from the Cactaceae family (37 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Saguaro, California barrel cactus, Beavertail pricklypear, Plains pricklypear, Fishhook barrel cactus, Christmas cholla, Silver cholla, Tree cholla.

More Nevada flowers

California barrel cactus

Ferocactus cylindraceus

Native

🌼 Blooms in NV: May–June

Beavertail pricklypear

Opuntia basilaris

Native

🌼 Blooms in NV: March–May

Silver cholla

Cylindropuntia echinocarpa

🌼 Few flowering records in NV

Sources

USDA PLANTS: no profile matched this name.
iNaturalist, Escobaria chlorantha: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
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, Escobaria chlorantha (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
Photo: Dawn Nelson via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.