Dwarf bear-poppy

Dwarf bear-poppy is a low perennial with a tuft of grayish leaves and white flowers held just above them. The flowers usually have four petals. The hairy leaves have deeply toothed tips, helping explain the bear-paw comparison in its name. This compact outline is an introduction, not a collection guide: a photograph from an established route is enough, and there is no need to touch leaves or examine roots. The species is naturally restricted to Washington County in southwestern Utah.

Its habitat is unusually specific. Gypsum-rich soils support sparse desert vegetation and can look almost empty to someone passing by. Much of the poppy's persistence is hidden in a seed bank, with successful recruitment occurring unevenly when conditions allow. A study following one population for sixteen years found dramatic fluctuations in visible plants and recruitment linked to favorable winter–spring precipitation. A poor flowering display in one year therefore does not by itself describe all the life remaining in the soil.

Dwarf bear-poppy remained federally endangered as of October 22, 2026. Development, habitat disturbance, and damage associated with recreation are conservation concerns; protecting pollination and the soil itself matters alongside protecting individual plants. Flowers generally appear in spring, but rainfall affects what visitors see. Use only designated access, never cross a fragile patch for a closer photograph, and leave flowers, seeds, and the ground around them undisturbed.

Low tufted plant; hairy, toothed leaves; usually four-petaled white flowers.

Stay on designated routes; do not collect, dig or enter habitat off the route.