Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to Idaho and Montana.
Habitat: Forest understory and margins from low to moderate elevations in the mountains.
Flowers: April-June
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial
Conservation Status: Not of concern
Deciduous shrub or small tree up to 10 m. tall, yellow- or brownish-puberulent.
: Leaves alternate, with stout petioles 5-20 mm. long, the blades oblong-ovate to oblong-obovate, 6-13 cm. long, very finely serrulate, with 10-12 prominent, lateral veins on each side.
Flowers in umbels on axillary peduncles, perfect or imperfect (if imperfect, the plant monoecious); calyx bell-shaped, 5-lobed, 3-4 mm. long, greenish, lined with a thin disk to which the petals and stamens are attached; petals 5, small, hooded; stamens 5, nearly sessile; ovary superior, free of the disk.
Berries purplish-black, 6-9 mm. long.
PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Frangula purshiana in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database
WA Flora Checklist: Frangula purshiana checklist entry
OregonFlora: Frangula purshiana information
E-Flora BC: Frangula purshiana atlas page
CalPhotos: Frangula purshiana photos