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Ericameria nauseosa

rubber rabbitbrush

Asteraceae Western North America

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant Fragrant (strong)

Native to North America

SunFull Sun

WaterVery Low · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 4–9

Overview

Ericameria nauseosa is a rounded, deciduous shrub in the daisy family, growing 2-7 feet (0.6-2.1 m) tall and wide on flexible, erect stems covered in a felt of white hairs. The narrow, gray-green leaves are 1-3 inches (2.5-7.5 cm) long and thread-like, giving the whole shrub a soft silver-green look. From late summer into fall the branch tips carry dense, rounded clusters of small golden-yellow flower heads made up of tubular disk florets, without the ray petals of typical daisies. The bloom is heavily scented and draws large numbers of bees, butterflies, and other late-season pollinators. Fluffy, wind-borne seeds follow and let the plant colonize open ground. The stems contain a milky latex once studied as a domestic rubber source, and the foliage has a strong, rubbery smell when crushed. Ericameria nauseosa grows on dry plains, slopes, washes, and disturbed roadsides across western North America, tolerating drought, alkaline and saline soils, and cold. It needs full sun and sharp drainage and is short-lived on rich or poorly drained ground.

Native Range

Ericameria nauseosa is native to western North America, from the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains west to the Pacific states and from Canada south into Mexico. It grows on dry plains, foothills, and disturbed ground, often in alkaline soils.

Suggested Uses

Grown in dry and native-plant gardens, on banks, and in low-water and restoration plantings for its fall flowers and silver foliage. The late bloom feeds migrating monarchs and many native bees when little else is in flower. Its toughness and deep roots suit erosion control and reclaiming dry, disturbed, or saline sites.

How to Identify

Recognized by a rounded shrub of flexible, white-felted stems and narrow, thread-like gray-green leaves. From late summer it carries dense, rounded clusters of small golden-yellow flower heads with no ray petals. The rubbery smell of crushed foliage and the felted stems separate it from similar yellow-flowered desert shrubs.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height2' - 7'

Width/Spread2' - 6'

Reaches mature size in approximately 4 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~8 weeks

Fall

Flowering comes late in the season, from late summer into mid-fall, mainly August through October. The golden flower clusters open as many other plants finish and last several weeks. The bloom is a major late-season nectar source for pollinators.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

gray-green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun

Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.5 - 8.5(Alkaline)

357912

Soil Types

sand rocky loam clay

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Very Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

2-4 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grow in full sun on dry, well-drained, sandy, gravelly, or alkaline soil. Established plants are highly drought tolerant and need no watering once settled. Rich soil, shade, and frequent water cause loose growth, rot, and a short life. The shrub tolerates cold, wind, salt, and poor ground where many plants fail. It self-seeds on open ground and can spread on disturbed sites. A hard cutback in early spring keeps the rounded form dense and tidy.

Pruning

The shrub is cut back hard in early spring, before new growth begins, to keep it compact and full, since it flowers on the current season''s stems. Old, woody plants tolerate renewal pruning close to the base. Little else is needed through the year.