1. Emory Baccharis – Baccharis emoryi
(BACK-ar-us em-MORE-ee-eye)
Family: Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)
Native to: Southwestern U.S. from CA to Texas & S. to Baja. In CA, on South Coast, foothills and
desert waterways; sandy edges of rivers and washes, salt marshes in coastal prairie & shrubland,
coastal sage scrub, chaparral, deserts.
woody shrub
mature height: 4-12 ft.
mature width: 2-4+ ft.
Upright shrub with stiff, woody branches; more flexible and arching at ends. Foliage bright to dark
green, leaves small to medium (1-2 inches), somewhat rounded, toothed. Stress desciduous, but
retains leaves with occasional summer water.
Looks like a cross between Mule Fat ( Baccharis
salicifolia) and Coyote Bush (Baccharis pilularis).
Growth characteristics:
Blooms in fall (Aug to Oct, even into Dec.). Plants are dioecious (separate male
and female plants). Male flowers buff, in small heads. Female flowers more showy, white and
tufted. Numerous flowers make both sexes showy in fall.
Blooms/fruits:
Uses in the garden: Most useful as a large shrub in backs of beds, along wall or fences, or as a large
hedge or screen. Good on slopes – roots retain soil.
Excellent on stream banks, dry streams.
Sensible substitute for: Non-native shrubs like Escalonia, small Acacias.
Excellent bird habitat: provides cover and nesting sites. Good nectar source for bees in
Attracts a large number of beneficial insects, and the birds that eat them.
Attracts:
fall.
Requirements:
Element
Sun
Soil
Water
Fertilizer
Other
Requirement
Full sun to part shade.
Well-drained soils – sandy soils particularly good; takes alkali soils.
Wide range of tolerance: Zone 1-2 to 2-3. Give some summer water to keep it
green. Tolerates winter flooding.
None needed; organic mulches are fine
Good salt tolerance.
Easy to grow.
rejuvenate (as needed).
Management:
Can be shaped with yearly pruning.
Propagation: from seed: fresh seed only; barely cover, keep wet
Cut back severely to
by cuttings: probably
Plant/seed sources (see list for source numbers): 3, 8, 10, 13, 14, 16, 24
11/24/10
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