Bloomipedia
Schott's pygmycedar (Peucephyllum schottii)
Photo: Dominic Gentilcore via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Schott's pygmycedar

Peucephyllum schottii

Schott's pygmycedar (Peucephyllum schottii) is a shrub or small tree in the Asteraceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly January–April across the U.S.

Native to Nevada

Schott's pygmycedar is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states.

4states where USDA records it
415NV sightings*
3,318U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Nevada

Quick look

Peucephyllum is a monotypic genus of flowering plants containing the single species Peucephyllum schottii. Its common names include pygmy cedar, Schott's pygmy cedar, desert fir, and desert pine. It is not a cedar, fir, or pine, but a member of the aster family, Asteraceae. It is a leafy evergreen shrub with glandular, resinous foliage. It flowers in yellow flower heads which have only disc florets.

  • It belongs to the Asteraceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub / a tree with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 4 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to Nevada. NatureServe
  • iNaturalist has 415 research-grade sightings of it in Nevada, ranking #100 among the 132 flowers on our Nevada list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month in Nevada (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (45 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
Nevada
Not listed Not on Nevada fully protected plants, critically endangered (NAC 527.010). NatureServe: S3, vulnerable in Nevada. NAC 527.010
Rare elsewhere
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: UT (S1). (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.

Please leave it where it grows

Please don't pick or dig this flower: NatureServe ranks it S3 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), 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 schott's pygmycedar in 4 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah.

Nevada counties with USDA records: Clark, Nye.

Names, range and relatives

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 11 counties across 4 states; the most are in California (6), Arizona (2), Nevada (2).

More from the Asteraceae family (212 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Common yarrow, Goldenrods, White snakeroot, Sunflowers, Chicory, Black-eyed Susan, Bull thistle, Common dandelion.

More Nevada flowers

Brittlebush (Encelia farinosa)

Brittlebush

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🌼 Blooms in NV: January–April
Desert marigold (Baileya multiradiata)

Desert marigold

Baileya multiradiata

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🌼 Blooms in NV: March–May
Rubber rabbitbrush (Ericameria nauseosa)

Rubber rabbitbrush

Ericameria nauseosa

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🌼 Blooms in NV: August–November

Sources