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Ephedra nevadensis S. Wats.

Nevada jointfir, Nevada joint-fir

Ephedraceae (Mormon-Tea Family)

USDA Symbol: EPNE

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

A 5 ft. shrub with yellowish-gray, erect-spreading branches. Small, paired leaves split and fall off early leaving a leafless, broom-like shrub. Tiny, individual, yellow to light-brown flowers cluster together to form a cone-like inflorescence.

 

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Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Breeding System: Flowers Unisexual , Dioecious
Leaf: Green
Flower:
Fruit:
Size Class: 6-12 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Time: Apr

Distribution

USA: AZ , CA , NV , OR , UT
Native Distribution: S.e. CA to UT & AZ
Native Habitat: Deserts; rocky slopes
USDA Native Status: L48(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low
Light Requirement: Sun
CaCO3 Tolerance: High
Soil Description: Arid, sandy or rocky soils.
Conditions Comments: Not Available

Benefit

Use Wildlife: Seeds are eaten by mountain quail.The plant provides winter browse for large and small mammals.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes

Propagation

Description: Grown from seed. Seeds germinate best at alternating termperatures with quite cold nighttime temps. Seedlings grow rapidly and can be easily transplanted.
Seed Collection: On good seed years, abundant collections of seeds can be obtained by flailing the fruit branches over an open tray.
Seed Treatment: Hot water and 3 weeks stratification improve germination.
Commercially Avail: yes

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is either on display or available from the following:

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden - Santa Barbara, CA
Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR

Bibliography

Bibref 995 - Native Landscaping from El Paso to L.A. (2000) Wasowski, S. and A. Wasowski

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Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Ephedra nevadensis in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Ephedra nevadensis in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Ephedra nevadensis

Metadata

Record Modified: 2009-02-20
Research By: TWC Staff

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