Goatnut
Simmondsia chinensis
Last reviewed: October 2026
Goatnut (Simmondsia chinensis) is a perennial shrub native to AZ, CA, NM, UT. It blooms in March, April, and May.
Toxicity unknown
Goatnut (Simmondsia chinensis) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.
Light
full sun
Water
low
Size
48"–96" H × 60"–96" W
Bloom
Mar, Apr, May
Native to
AZ, CA, NM, UT
Before you buy
Your city may pay you to plant this
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Browse plants for this ecoregion
A dense, rounded evergreen shrub with thick, leathery, gray-green leaves and small, inconspicuous flowers, male and female flowers borne on separate plants. Female plants produce acorn-like seeds containing a valuable liquid wax. Grows on dry desert slopes and washes.
Growing Goatnut
Grow Goatnut in full sun and low water. Mature plants reach 48 to 96 inches tall and spread 60 to 96 inches wide.
Wildlife value
The dense evergreen structure provides year-round cover and nesting sites for desert birds, and the oil-rich seeds are eaten by rodents and birds.
Common questions
- How much sun does Goatnut need?
- Goatnut grows best in full sun conditions.
- When does Goatnut bloom?
- Goatnut blooms in March, April, and May.
- Where is Goatnut native?
- Goatnut (Simmondsia chinensis) is native to AZ, CA, NM, UT, per vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists.
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.
If something looks wrong
Common plant problems, and what to check first
These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.
- It is dying right after planting
- Leaves turning yellow
- Wilting even though I watered it
- Brown crispy leaf tips
- Bugs on the plant
Ready to grow Goatnut? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.