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Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

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Vauquelinia californica (Arizona rosewood)
Anderson, Wynn

Vauquelinia californica

Vauquelinia californica (Torr.) Sarg.

Arizona Rosewood, Arizona-rosewood

Rosaceae (Rose Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: vaca5

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

Arizona-rosewood is a large, evergreen shrub or small tree to 10 ft., or more. Leathery, yellow-green foliage provides a backdrop for the flat-topped clusters of white, five-petaled flowers. Evergreen, much-branched shrub or small tree with stiff, twisted branches.

The beautiful, dark brown wood streaked with red is hard and very heavy; however, the tree's scarcity, small size, and slow growth have limited commercial use. This genus is dedicated to Louis Nicholas Vauquelin (1763-1827), a French chemist. Despite its Latin species name, which was given before boundaries were definite, it is not native to California.

 

From the Image Gallery

6 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Leaf Retention: Evergreen
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 25 feet tall, often shorter.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White
Bloom Time: May , Jun , Jul

Distribution

USA: AZ , NM
Native Distribution: AZ & n. Mex.
Native Habitat: Canyons and mountains; 2500 to 5000 ft.

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry
Soil Description: Rocky soils.
Conditions Comments: Sometime found, in nature, on limestone; often found among live oaks.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Sibley Nature Center - Midland, TX

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

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

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-05-11
Research By: TWC Staff

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