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Ericameria laricifolia

Ericameria laricifolia (A. Gray) Shinners

Larchleaf Goldenweed, Turpentine Bush, Turpentine Brush, Hierba De Conejo

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

Synonym(s): Haplopappus laricifolius

USDA Symbol: ERLA12

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

Turpentine-bush is a broadly rounded 1-3 ft. shrub with profuse, small golden-yellow flower heads and dense greenery that turns golden in the fall. Leaves are clustered toward the stem tip and are short and leathery. They emit a tart lemony scent wen rubbed gently. If pubbed harder, the leaves get gummy and smell like turpentine.

This small shrub bears numerous tiny yellow flowers in late summer and fall.

From the Image Gallery

7 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Leaf Retention: Evergreen
Leaf Pubescence: Glabrous
Leaf Texture: Smooth
Inflorescence: Head
Size Notes: Normally 1 to 3 feet but can reach 6 feet
Leaf: Dark olive green
Flower: Flowers 1/4 inch
Fruit: Fruit is a cypsela (pl. cypselae). Though technically incorrect, the fruit is often referred to as an achene.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Time: Aug , Sep , Oct , Nov

Distribution

USA: AZ , CA , NM , NV , TX , UT
Native Distribution: West Texas, west to southeastern California, south to Chihuahua and Coahuila.
Native Habitat: Rocky mountainous areas, mesa slopes, and canyons in the Chihuahuan, Sonoran, and eastern Mojave deserts.

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry
Cold Tolerant: yes
Heat Tolerant: yes
Soil Description: Dry, well-drained, granitic, sandy, clay loam, or limestone soils of low organic content
Conditions Comments: In areas of higher moisture than normal for this plant, may grow to 6 feet tall, but will remain narrow.

Benefit

Use Ornamental: Good evergreen shrub for full sun in the Southwest, with aromatic leaves and eye-catching fall flowers. Can be arranged as a shrubby groundcover, a hedge, or a specimen plant.
Use Wildlife: Rabbits browse this plant. Leaves-rabbits, Seeds-granivorous birds, Nectar-insects
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Fragrant Foliage: yes
Attracts: Birds , Butterflies
Nectar Source: yes

Propagation

Propagation Material: Seeds , Softwood Cuttings
Description: Softwood cuttings or untreated seeds are propagation methods.
Maintenance: If want to keep shorter than 3 feet, don't water much and occasionally trim with line trimmer.

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden - Santa Barbara, CA
Sibley Nature Center - Midland, TX
Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR

Bibliography

Bibref 355 - Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas and the Southwest (1991) Miller, G. O.
Bibref 995 - Native Landscaping from El Paso to L.A. (2000) Wasowski, S. and A. Wasowski
Bibref 318 - Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region (2002) Wasowski, S. & A. Wasowski
Bibref 291 - Texas Wildscapes: Gardening for Wildlife (1999) Damude, N. & K.C. Bender

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.

Additional resources

USDA: Find Ericameria laricifolia in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Ericameria laricifolia in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Ericameria laricifolia

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-01-02
Research By: TWC Staff

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