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Spineflowers (Chorizanthe)
Spineflowers are small, squat, herbaceous plants with spiny-looking inflorescences of flowers. The flowers may be in shades of red or yellow to white. The bracts are pointed and sometimes tipped with a hooked awn, and the inflorescence often dries into a rounded, spiny husk. Spineflowers are found in western North America and South America. 
Lifespan
Perennial
Key Facts About Spineflowers
Feedback
Attributes of Spineflowers
Leaf type
Deciduous
Scientific Classification of Spineflowers
Phylum
Vascular plants
Class
Dicotyledons
Order
Pinks, cacti, and allies
Family
Buckwheat
Genus
Spineflowers
Distribution of Spineflowers
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Distribution Map of Spineflowers
Native
Cultivated
Invasive
Potentially invasive
Exotic
No species reported
How to Grow and Care for Spineflowers
Feedback
Spineflowers encompasses herbaceous perennials notable for their resilience and adaptability. However, successful cultivation requires a tailored approach to their basic needs—ample light, minimal water, moderate temperatures, and well-draining soils are key. Gardeners must be vigilant about root rot due to overwatering and potential infestations of pests like aphids. Seasonal dynamics necessitate reduced watering in winter and protection from extreme temperatures, ensuring that spineflowers remains a compelling genus for enthusiasts of drought-tolerant flora.
How to Water Spineflowers?
What Are the Sunlight Requirements for Spineflowers?
How to Propagate Spineflowers?
How to Plant Spineflowers?
Exploring the Spineflowers Plants
Feedback
8 most common species：
Turkshead
Turkshead (Chorizanthe rigida) is an annual herbaceous plant that blooms in spring with yellow flowers. Commonly found growing in desert areas of the southwestern United States. It is green when plenty of rain is present but in hot summer months this plant turns into a dark skeleton of the plant it once was.
Brittle spine flower
Brittle spine flower is a member of the buckwheat family and thrives in desert habitats. It serves as a host for the White-lined Sphinx moth. The annual herb's name, Brittle spine flower, references the fact that the stems and branches of the plant can easily separate at the nodes.
Fivetooth spineflower
It grows in many types of plant communities from desert scrub to woodland and sagebrush. This small plant grows a woolly erect stem up to about 15 cm tall. The inflorescence is a cluster of flowers surrounded by five hairy greenish bracts tipped with hooked awns. The flower is about 2 millimeters wide and yellow in color.
Diffuse spineflower
This flowering plant can be found in mountainous and coastal regions. The diffuse spineflower has a wide variety of appearance in height, colors, tips, and leaves, though you can look out for its white flower clusters that have yellow throats. Outside of two California counties, this plant is difficult to spot.
Douglas's spineflower
Douglas's spineflower is a resilient herbaceous perennial with a penchant for sandy or gravelly soils, often found in coastal dunes and scrublands. Its distinctive wiry stems bear sparse foliage and a spray of small, star-shaped, pink to white flowers that form an umbrella-like cluster—revealing douglas's spineflower's adaptation to arid, challenging environments.
San luis obispo spineflower
San luis obispo spineflower is a delicate, herbaceous perennial known for its striking magenta to purple flowers. Its stems reach modest heights, adapting to rocky, coastal habitats where it thrives in sparse chaparral and sandy soils. This plant displays a radiating array of needle-like bracts, providing a textured contrast to its vibrant blooms while aiding in water retention under the harsh sun.
Turkish rugging
This is a plant which is quite variable in morphology, producing small patches on the ground or growing erect to heights over half a meter. The leaves measure from just a few millimeters to about 8 centimeters long. Most of them grow at the base of the fuzzy green or reddish stem.
One-awn spineflower
One-awn spineflower is a unique flowering plant characterized by its single, prominent spine at the tip of each floral bract. Adapted to arid environments, its low-growing, spreading habit helps conserve water. Vibrant blooms and needle-like spines contrast against sandy or rocky soils, making one-awn spineflower a distinctive member of its native landscapes.
All Species of Spineflowers
Turkshead
Turkshead
Turkshead (Chorizanthe rigida) is an annual herbaceous plant that blooms in spring with yellow flowers. Commonly found growing in desert areas of the southwestern United States. It is green when plenty of rain is present but in hot summer months this plant turns into a dark skeleton of the plant it once was.
Brittle spine flower
Brittle spine flower
Brittle spine flower is a member of the buckwheat family and thrives in desert habitats. It serves as a host for the White-lined Sphinx moth. The annual herb's name, Brittle spine flower, references the fact that the stems and branches of the plant can easily separate at the nodes.
Fivetooth spineflower
Fivetooth spineflower
It grows in many types of plant communities from desert scrub to woodland and sagebrush. This small plant grows a woolly erect stem up to about 15 cm tall. The inflorescence is a cluster of flowers surrounded by five hairy greenish bracts tipped with hooked awns. The flower is about 2 millimeters wide and yellow in color.
Diffuse spineflower
Diffuse spineflower
This flowering plant can be found in mountainous and coastal regions. The diffuse spineflower has a wide variety of appearance in height, colors, tips, and leaves, though you can look out for its white flower clusters that have yellow throats. Outside of two California counties, this plant is difficult to spot.
Douglas's spineflower
Douglas's spineflower
Douglas's spineflower is a resilient herbaceous perennial with a penchant for sandy or gravelly soils, often found in coastal dunes and scrublands. Its distinctive wiry stems bear sparse foliage and a spray of small, star-shaped, pink to white flowers that form an umbrella-like cluster—revealing douglas's spineflower's adaptation to arid, challenging environments.
San luis obispo spineflower
San luis obispo spineflower
San luis obispo spineflower is a delicate, herbaceous perennial known for its striking magenta to purple flowers. Its stems reach modest heights, adapting to rocky, coastal habitats where it thrives in sparse chaparral and sandy soils. This plant displays a radiating array of needle-like bracts, providing a textured contrast to its vibrant blooms while aiding in water retention under the harsh sun.
Turkish rugging
Turkish rugging
This is a plant which is quite variable in morphology, producing small patches on the ground or growing erect to heights over half a meter. The leaves measure from just a few millimeters to about 8 centimeters long. Most of them grow at the base of the fuzzy green or reddish stem.
One-awn spineflower
One-awn spineflower
One-awn spineflower is a unique flowering plant characterized by its single, prominent spine at the tip of each floral bract. Adapted to arid environments, its low-growing, spreading habit helps conserve water. Vibrant blooms and needle-like spines contrast against sandy or rocky soils, making one-awn spineflower a distinctive member of its native landscapes.
Narrow-leaf spineflower
Narrow-leaf spineflower
Narrow-leaf spineflower (Chorizanthe angustifolia) lives up to its name. It produces clusters of pink flowers surrounded by spiny bracts that make the plant resemble a medieval pink mace. Narrow-leaf spineflower is listed as imperiled in California, the only place the plant grows.
Sonoma spineflower
Sonoma spineflower
Sonoma spineflower boasts a robust structure adapted to its dry native habitats. This perennial contrasts with sandy terrains, displaying delicate rosettes of slender leaves. Throughout summer, it erupts with a blaze of small, star-shaped flowers, their colors transitioning with maturity. These resilient blooms are crowned with spiny bracts, a testament to sonoma spineflower's enduring nature amid arid challenges.
Monterey spineflower
Monterey spineflower
Monterey spineflower is a spiny-stemmed herb that thrives in sandy coastal regions. Its leaves form a low rosette, while the stems bear small, tubular pink or white flowers surrounded by pointed bracts, giving them a distinctive burr-like appearance. Adapted to harsh, dry habitats, monterey spineflower's deep root system maximizes water uptake, ensuring survival in its native dunes and bluffs.
Pink spineflower
Pink spineflower
This herb grows erect to a maximum height near 1 metre. It is woolly in texture and most of its parts may bear a pink tint. The leaves are mostly linear in shape and they may occur along the stem as well as at the base. The longest may reach 5 cm.
San francisco spineflower
San francisco spineflower
San francisco spineflower is a perennial herb with a distinctive tufted appearance, featuring small, sharp-pointed leaves and bristly stems that can adapt well to sandy or rocky soils. This resilience allows san francisco spineflower to thrive in its native coastal and desert habitats. During bloom, it produces small, clustered flowers, varying from pink to white, which are encased in spiny, cup-like structures, characteristic of san francisco spineflower's unique charm and aid in its identification.
Fringed spineflower
Fringed spineflower
Fringed spineflower is known for its distinct fringed bracts that surround its small, pink to purple flowers. Adapted to arid environments, its grayish-green, needle-like foliage forms mats close to the ground, conserving moisture. This plant thrives in sandy or gravelly soils, often found in open, sunny areas showcasing its vibrant, delicate blooms in spring and early summer.
More Popular Genus
Feedback
Dracaena
Dracaena are popular house plants that are easy to grow. They can tolerate low-light conditions and require little watering. Their leaves range from variegated to dark green. Their characteristic traits include woody stems that grow slowly but offer a striking appearance for small spaces such as apartments or offices.
Fig trees
Fig trees have been cultivated in many regions for their fruits, particularly the common fig, F. carica. Most of the species have edible fruits, although the common fig is the only one of commercial value. Fig trees are also important food sources for wildlife in the tropics, including monkeys, bats, and insects.
Brambles
Brambles are members of the rose family, and there are hundreds of different types to be found throughout the European countryside. They have been culturally significant for centuries; Christian folklore stories hold that when the devil was thrown from heaven, he landed on a bramble bush. Their vigorous growth habit can tangle into native plants and take over.
Maples
The popular tree family known as maples change the color of their leaves in the fall. Many cultural traditions encourage people to watch the colors change, such as momijigari in Japan. Maples popular options for bonsai art. Alternately, their sap is used to create maple syrup.
Prunus
Prunus is a genus of flowering fruit trees that includes almonds, cherries, plums, peaches, nectarines, and apricots. These are often known as "stone fruits" because their pits are large seeds or "stones." When prunus trees are damaged, they exhibit "gummosis," a condition in which the tree's gum (similar to sap) is secreted to the bark to help heal external wounds.
Nightshades
Nightshades is a large and diverse genus of plants, with more than 1500 different types worldwide. This genus incorporates both important staple food crops like tomato, potato, and eggplant, but also dangerous poisonous plants from the nightshade family. The name was coined by Pliny the Elder almost two thousand years ago.
Roses
Most species of roses are shrubs or climbing plants that have showy flowers and sharp thorns. They are commonly cultivated for cut flowers or as ornamental plants in gardens due to their attractive appearance, pleasant fragrance, and cultural significance in many countries. The rose hips (fruits) can also be used in jams and teas.
Oaks
Oaks are among the world's longest-lived trees, sometimes growing for over 1,000 years! The oldest known oak tree is in the southern United States and is over 1,500 years old. Oaks produce an exceedingly popular type of wood which is used to make different products, from furniture and flooring to wine barrels and even cosmetic creams.
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About
Key Facts
Distribution
How To Care
All Species
More Genus
Spineflowers
Chorizanthe
Spineflowers are small, squat, herbaceous plants with spiny-looking inflorescences of flowers. The flowers may be in shades of red or yellow to white. The bracts are pointed and sometimes tipped with a hooked awn, and the inflorescence often dries into a rounded, spiny husk. Spineflowers are found in western North America and South America.
Lifespan
Perennial
Key Facts About Spineflowers
Feedback
Attributes of Spineflowers
Leaf type
Deciduous
Scientific Classification of Spineflowers
Phylum
Vascular plants Class
Dicotyledons Order
Pinks, cacti, and allies Family
Buckwheat Genus
Spineflowers Distribution of Spineflowers
Feedback
Distribution Map of Spineflowers
Native
Cultivated
Invasive
Potentially invasive
Exotic
No species reported
How to Grow and Care for Spineflowers
Feedback
Spineflowers encompasses herbaceous perennials notable for their resilience and adaptability. However, successful cultivation requires a tailored approach to their basic needs—ample light, minimal water, moderate temperatures, and well-draining soils are key. Gardeners must be vigilant about root rot due to overwatering and potential infestations of pests like aphids. Seasonal dynamics necessitate reduced watering in winter and protection from extreme temperatures, ensuring that spineflowers remains a compelling genus for enthusiasts of drought-tolerant flora.
How to Water Spineflowers?
What Are the Sunlight Requirements for Spineflowers?
How to Propagate Spineflowers?
How to Plant Spineflowers?
Exploring the Spineflowers Plants
Feedback
8 most common species：
Turkshead
Turkshead (Chorizanthe rigida) is an annual herbaceous plant that blooms in spring with yellow flowers. Commonly found growing in desert areas of the southwestern United States. It is green when plenty of rain is present but in hot summer months this plant turns into a dark skeleton of the plant it once was.
Brittle spine flower
Brittle spine flower is a member of the buckwheat family and thrives in desert habitats. It serves as a host for the White-lined Sphinx moth. The annual herb's name, Brittle spine flower, references the fact that the stems and branches of the plant can easily separate at the nodes.
Fivetooth spineflower
It grows in many types of plant communities from desert scrub to woodland and sagebrush. This small plant grows a woolly erect stem up to about 15 cm tall. The inflorescence is a cluster of flowers surrounded by five hairy greenish bracts tipped with hooked awns. The flower is about 2 millimeters wide and yellow in color.
Diffuse spineflower
This flowering plant can be found in mountainous and coastal regions. The diffuse spineflower has a wide variety of appearance in height, colors, tips, and leaves, though you can look out for its white flower clusters that have yellow throats. Outside of two California counties, this plant is difficult to spot.
Show More Species
All Species of Spineflowers
More Popular Genus
Feedback
Dracaena
Dracaena are popular house plants that are easy to grow. They can tolerate low-light conditions and require little watering. Their leaves range from variegated to dark green. Their characteristic traits include woody stems that grow slowly but offer a striking appearance for small spaces such as apartments or offices.
Fig trees
Fig trees have been cultivated in many regions for their fruits, particularly the common fig, F. carica. Most of the species have edible fruits, although the common fig is the only one of commercial value. Fig trees are also important food sources for wildlife in the tropics, including monkeys, bats, and insects.
Brambles
Brambles are members of the rose family, and there are hundreds of different types to be found throughout the European countryside. They have been culturally significant for centuries; Christian folklore stories hold that when the devil was thrown from heaven, he landed on a bramble bush. Their vigorous growth habit can tangle into native plants and take over.
Maples
The popular tree family known as maples change the color of their leaves in the fall. Many cultural traditions encourage people to watch the colors change, such as momijigari in Japan. Maples popular options for bonsai art. Alternately, their sap is used to create maple syrup.
Prunus
Prunus is a genus of flowering fruit trees that includes almonds, cherries, plums, peaches, nectarines, and apricots. These are often known as "stone fruits" because their pits are large seeds or "stones." When prunus trees are damaged, they exhibit "gummosis," a condition in which the tree's gum (similar to sap) is secreted to the bark to help heal external wounds.
Nightshades
Nightshades is a large and diverse genus of plants, with more than 1500 different types worldwide. This genus incorporates both important staple food crops like tomato, potato, and eggplant, but also dangerous poisonous plants from the nightshade family. The name was coined by Pliny the Elder almost two thousand years ago.
Roses
Most species of roses are shrubs or climbing plants that have showy flowers and sharp thorns. They are commonly cultivated for cut flowers or as ornamental plants in gardens due to their attractive appearance, pleasant fragrance, and cultural significance in many countries. The rose hips (fruits) can also be used in jams and teas.
Oaks
Oaks are among the world's longest-lived trees, sometimes growing for over 1,000 years! The oldest known oak tree is in the southern United States and is over 1,500 years old. Oaks produce an exceedingly popular type of wood which is used to make different products, from furniture and flooring to wine barrels and even cosmetic creams.
Your Ultimate Guide to Plants
Identify grow and nurture the better way!
17,000 local species +400,000 global species studied
Nearly 5 years of research
80+ scholars in botany and gardening
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants
unlimited guides at your fingertips...
unlimited guides at your fingertips...
