Flower profile

Screwbean

Strombocarpa pubescens

Screwbean (Strombocarpa pubescens) is a flowering plant in the Fabaceae family, blooming mostly May–September across the U.S.

Native to Nevada

Screwbean is a flowering plant.

–states where USDA records it

586NV sightings*

1,952U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Nevada

Quick look

Strombocarpa pubescens, commonly known as screwbean mesquite, is a species of flowering shrub or small tree in the pea family, Fabaceae, that is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.
From Wikipedia's article Strombocarpa pubescens, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Fabaceae family. ^iNaturalist
NatureServe lists it as native to Nevada. ^NatureServe
iNaturalist has 586 research-grade sightings of it in Nevada, ranking #67 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”) (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: G3 Vulnerable 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)) 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

More from the Fabaceae family (114 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Lupines, White clover, Red clover, Eastern redbud, Purple crownvetch, Bird's-foot trefoil, Partridge pea, White sweetclover.

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Western honey mesquite

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🌼 Blooms in NV: April–June

Sources

USDA PLANTS: no profile matched this name.
iNaturalist, Strombocarpa pubescens: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Strombocarpa pubescens (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
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, Strombocarpa pubescens (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
Photo: jonsense via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.