Longleaf Jointfir
Ephedra trifurca
The largest and most upright of the desert jointfirs, forming a rigid pale green mass of jointed photosynthetic stems tipped with sharp points. Leafless in any practical sense, it holds colour and structure through the hottest, driest months. Deep-rooted and useful for stabilising sand.
- Family
- Ephedraceae
- Type
- shrub
- Lifespan
- perennial
- Height
- 15–15 ft
- Spacing
- 6–12 ft apart
- Light
- sun
- Soil moisture
- dry
- Soil pH
- neutral, alkaline
- Bloom
- March, April
- Bloom colors
- yellow
- Wildlife value
- mammals, songbirds
- Landscape uses
- erosion control, naturalizing
- Native states
- AZ, CA, NM, TX