Cliffrose

Purshia stansburiana

Family:: Rosaceae
Elevation:: 4,000 ft – 8,000 ft
Bloom:: Apr – Jun
Region:: Southwest

A gnarled, semi-evergreen shrub of rocky rimrock and slopes that erupts in fragrant, pale-yellow to creamy rose-like flowers in spring, later trailing feathery, twisted seed plumes. Its resinous, tiny lobed leaves and shreddy bark give it a wind-sculpted, ancient look.

Care · tuned to the Southwest

Water

Exceptionally drought tolerant once established; needs only occasional deep watering while young and essentially none after. Overwatering and wet feet are fatal, and it flowers heaviest with spring moisture, sometimes reblooming after monsoon rains.

Sun & exposure

Full, open sun with heat and reflected exposure; a true sun-lover.

Soil

Demands sharp drainage in rocky, gravelly, calcareous or alkaline soils; thrives on poor, dry, stony ground and dislikes rich or heavy soil.

In the Southwest

Cold-hardy across the high-desert and piñon-juniper zone. Flowers are showy and honey-scented, drawing pollinators, and the plumose seeds are ornamental. A critical winter browse for deer and bighorn sheep despite its bitter, quinine-like taste. Long-lived and slow-growing; do not pamper it.

Common problems & fixes

Root rot and chlorosis from overwatering — declines in rich, moist, or irrigated soil
Fix — Plant in fast-draining, lean soil in full sun and water very sparingly once established.
Heavy browsing — deer and rabbits graze it hard
Fix — Protect young plants with caging until they're large enough to withstand browsing.

Pets & toxicity

No significant toxicity to pets is documented; it is valued as wildlife browse. The bitter, resinous foliage is generally unpalatable in large amounts but not considered poisonous to dogs or cats.

Easy to confuse with

Antelope bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata) — single seed and no long feathery plume, three-toothed leaf tips
Apache plume (Fallugia paradoxa) — white flowers and pinkish feathery seed heads, greener leaves

Sources

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