California false indigo
Amorpha californica
Last reviewed: August 2026
Light
part shade
Water
medium
Size
36"–72" H × 36"–60" W
Bloom
Apr, May, Jun
Native to
AZ, CA, NM
Pollinators
native bees, bumble bees
Before you buy
Your city may pay you to plant this
Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 431 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.
Find rebates in your areaThis false indigo is a deciduous shrub with compound leaves and upright spikes of small purple flowers with striking orange anthers. It grows in the understory of chaparral and open woodland.
Wildlife value
Host plant for Silver-spotted Skipper.
The flower spikes are heavily worked by native bees, including bumble bees, and the foliage is a documented larval host for the Silver-spotted Skipper.
Common questions
- How much sun does California false indigo need?
- California false indigo grows best in part shade conditions.
- When does California false indigo bloom?
- California false indigo blooms in April, May, and June.
- Where is California false indigo native?
- California false indigo (Amorpha californica) is native to AZ, CA, NM, per vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists.
- What butterflies or moths does California false indigo host?
- California false indigo is a larval host plant for Silver-spotted Skipper.
Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
Ready to grow California false indigo? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.
Not sure where to start? Take the 2-minute yard quiz