Chuparosa
Justicia californica
Chuparosa is a vibrant, hummingbird-loving shrub that brings bold color to the desert when much of the landscape is still dry and quiet. Its name comes from the Spanish word for “hummingbird,” and for good reason—these little birds can’t resist its bright red flowers.
Appearance:
A deciduous shrub that typically grows 3 to 5 feet tall. In cooler months or drought, it may lose its leaves entirely, but when conditions are right, it erupts with bright tubular flowers—usually scarlet red, though orange and yellow variants occur. The leaves are small, oval, and sparse, and often absent when the plant is in full bloom.
Habitat:
Found along desert washes, slopes, and rocky canyons—especially in the Sonoran Desert, including southern California, Arizona, and Baja California.
Bloom Time:
Blooms from late winter through spring (January to April), and may flower again after summer rains.
Pollinators:
Especially attractive to hummingbirds, but also visited by bees and butterflies. The plant’s long tubular flowers are perfectly suited to a hummingbird’s beak.
Found in creosote bush scrub habitat and dry sandy or rocky soils and washes below 2600',
Blooms March to June.