Desert Peach

Desert Peach (Prunus andersonii) is in the rose family and is a woody shrub. It has bright, beautiful pink flowers that bloom early in spring, usually April-June, a welcome sight for wildflower enthusiasts.  In spring you can often see dense areas carpeted with these gorgeous plants. 

Desert peach typically grow between 2-6 feet tall. They have five spoon shaped petals and a cluster of long stamens with yellow anthers--which you can see them in the picture above. The leaves are small and slightly toothed, usually appearing in bunches on the gray, spine-tipped stems.  They develop little fruits that look similar to a small peach, hence it's common name, desert peach. 

It is restricted to the western section of the Basin and Range region, occurring in eastern California; and western and central Nevada. Desert peach is found in Sagebrush shrublands, yellow pine forests, and pinyon-juniper woodland habitats.