# Mojave Indigobush

*Psorodendron arborescens*

Despite its name, the plant is often covered in a fine silver pubescence that helps reflect intense desert sunlight and conserve water.

- **Taxonomy:** Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Fabales › Fabaceae › Psorodendron
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** desert
- **Habitat:** Arid desert scrub, rocky slopes, and dry sandy washes between 500 and 1,500 meters elevation.
- **Diet:** Photosynthetic (Autotroph); utilizes a deep taproot to access subterranean moisture.
- **Range:** Mojave Desert, Sonoran Desert, California, Nevada, Arizona
- **Size:** 1 to 2 meters in height and width
- **Lifespan:** 20-50 years
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Habitat fragmentation due to urban sprawl, utility-scale solar development, and competition from invasive Mediterranean grasses.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless but possesses sharp, thorny branches. Observe from a distance to avoid scratches. If skin is punctured by a thorn, wash the area thoroughly with soap and water to prevent infection.

## About

Psorodendron arborescens is a species of flowering plant in the legume family known by the common name Mojave indigo bush .

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/82d08cba-8f32-4dce-b039-391f7618656c
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1613591
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psorodendron arborescens
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/1680005/medium.jpg (Jim Morefield, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.