Fagonia laevis – “California Fagonbush”

Also Known As: California Fagonia, Small-Flowered Fagonia
Other Botanical Names: Fagonia californica ssp. laevis
Family: Caltrop (Zygophyllaceae)
Bloom Period: Mar-May
Form: Perennial subshrub
Habitat: Rocky hillsides, sandy washes
Leaves: Linear leaflets, usually in threes; opposite
Translation: “Fagonia” is named after Guy-Crescent Fagon (1638-1718), a French chemist, botanist, Professor of Botany and Chemistry at the Paris Jardin du Roi, and chief physician to Louis XIV; “laevis” is Latin for “smooth.”
Notes: Related to Creosote Bush (Larrea tridentata), which is apparent when you compare the flowers. Same shape but different colors. Unlike its auntie, keeps low to the ground, forming low mounds. Can bloom again in the fall under the right conditions (enough rain, well-timed).