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Ericameria nauseosa ssp. nauseosa

Ericameria nauseosa (Pall. ex Pursh) G.L. Nesom & Baird ssp. nauseosa

Rubber Rabbitbrush, Rabbitbrush, Chamisa

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: ERNAN3

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)

Rabbitbrush is a 2-5 ft., deciduous shrub with aromatic, blue-green, feathery foliage and dense clusters of bright-yellow, fuzzy flowers. When grown in well-drained soil it takes on a soft, mounded form. Wiry, white stems and dry seed heads create winter interest.

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Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Size Notes: Up to about 5 feet tall.
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

Distribution

USA: AZ , CA , CO , ID , KS , MT , ND , NE , NM , NV , OK , OR , SD , TX , UT , WA , WY
Canada: AB , BC , SK
Native Distribution: Sask. to s. B.C., s. to uplands of w. TX & Baja CA; rarely w. of the Cascades
Native Habitat: Dry grasslands, badlands, salt flats & foothills

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Description: Clay-alkaline soils.
Conditions Comments: Cutting back in the winter will create a thick, bushy plant. Though rabbit brush is good for stabilizing open, waste places, it is considered a poisonous "weed" on rangelands. Cool summers are a necessity. Unlike most native species, rabbit brush flowers first at high elevations and last on lower slopes.

Propagation

Description: Propagate by seed or hardwood cuttings in late winter. Seeds viability is often low. Direct seeding is not recommended and since seedlings are easily transplanted, it is best to sow seeds on greenhouse flats. The species regenerates naturally from root
Seed Collection: The seed is an achene which can be stripped off the shrub or shaken onto tarps.
Seed Treatment: Seeds may benefit from a period of moist chilling.
Commercially Avail: yes

Additional resources

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

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-08-01
Research By: TWC Staff

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