Schott indigobush Fabaceae Psorothamnus schottii (Torr.) Barneby symbol: PSSC5 Leaf: Nearly appears leafless because leaves are small and often sparse, alternate, deciduous, linear, 1/2 to 1 inch long, 1/16 inch wide, entire edges, upper surface light blue-gray, finely glandular, lower surface green. Flower: Attractive, pea-like, deep purple-blue, 1/3 inch long, occur along the twig in open 4 inch long clusters, appearing in late spring and early summer. Fruit: Small, odd-looking one-seeded legume, 3/8 inch, egg-shaped, pointed end, covered in dark red glands. Twig: Slender yellow-green, later turning light brown; heavily-branched with many spine tipped twigs. Bark: Light gray-brown and smooth when young, developing darker narrow rough ridges. Form: Large shrub with many spiny branches and crooked limbs, up to 10 feet tall. Looks like: desert smoke tree - Fremont's dalea Additional Range Information: Psorothamnus schottii is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. See states reporting Schott indigobush. External Links: USDA Plants Database © Copyright 2016, Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, all rights reserved. Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson