Grayia spinosa – “Hop-Sage”

Also Known As: Spiny Hop-Sage
Family: Goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae)
Bloom Period: May-Jun
Form: Shrub
Habitat: Found widely, sometimes in expansive, nearly pure stands
Leaves: Oblong; alternate; deciduous
Translation: “Grayia” is named for Asa Gray (1810-1888), botanist and founder of the Gray Herbarium at Harvard University; “spinosa” is Latin for “thorny,” which this plant is.
Notes: As pictured here, the plant’s bracts have not turned bright red, as they can later. This plant is dioecious, meaning that the male and female flowers grow on separate plants.
Animal Associations: Host plant for Perizoma custodiata moth. Mule Deer and livestock eat the fruits and young leafy branches. The Mojave Ground Squirrel eats the leaves.