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Asteraceae FAMILY

Ericameria nauseosa

Ericameria nauseosa

Edibility
2/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

Although it is often seen as an important browse species on depleted land within its native range, this species has also occasionally been reported as being toxic to livestock[1].

Cultivation Details

HabitEvergreen Shrub
Growth—

Rubber rabbitbrush is adapted to cold, dry environments receiving 175 - 450mm of annual precipitation, at elevations ranging from 140 - 2,400 metres. Requires a sunny position and prefers a well-drained sandy soil, succeeding on poor soils[2, 3]. This species is very variable and, depending on the ecotype, it succeeds on a wide range of soils including loamy, sandy, gravelly or heavy clays, that can be slightly acidic, slight to strongly basic, or saline[1]. Some ecotypes have a great deal of plasticity, allowing them to establish in a variety of habitats[1]. The plant can be cut back after autumn flowering to prevent seed dispersal and to retain its compact, rounded shape[1]. The species is taxonomically complex, and is divided into many different varieties (ecotypes). The species has been viewed as two informal groups, the "green forms" and the "gray forms." These two groups were formalized as subspp. nauseosa and consimilis (consimilis is now treated as a synonym of oreophila) by G. L. Nesom and G. I. Baird (1993), each containing a number of varieties. It is currently (2023) being treated as a species with 24 varieties (ecotypes). These varieties exhibit a great deal of variability in morphological characteristics and chemical composition[1]. In particular, the vars graveolens; hololeuca, oreophila and speciosa (under the synonym var albicaulis) have been mentioned[4]. In trials, the plant previously known as Chrysothamnus nauseosus var. viridulus H.M.Hall, but now treated as only a synonym of Chrysothamnus nauseosus, was reported as having the highest recorded levels of rubber and resin in the genus[4] The var Ericameria nauseosa var. oreophila, is characteristic of sites with highly saline soils[5]. Ericameria nauseosa is reported to hybridize with several other species in the genus, and hybrid and formula names have been applied to them[6].

Propagation

Seed - has a germination rate of around 65% and a viability of 3 or more years in storage. A period of cold stratification is not necessary, but can speed germinatio. Sow in sun or light shade and only just cover the small seed[1]. Well-rooted plants can be obtained in one growing season[1]. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, mid summer in sand in a frame[7]. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-21. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Ericameria+nauseosa>

Pollinators

Insects

References

  1. [1]Plants Database — United States Department of Agriculture · http://plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet ↩︎An online database with an excellent collection of fact sheets about native N. American plants.
  2. [2]RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 — F. Chittendon. · Oxford University Press · 1951 · ISBN - ↩︎Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [ 200 ]).
  3. [3]Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. — Bean. W. · Murray · 1981 · ISBN - ↩︎A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
  4. [4]Chrysothamnus Nauseosus; A potential Source of Natural Rubber — Ostler W.K., McKell C.M. & White S. · 1986 ↩︎
  5. [5]Handbook of Energy Crops — Duke. J. · - · 1983 · https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/dukeindex.html · ISBN - ↩︎Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of both temperate and tropical plants.
  6. [6]Flora of N. America — http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ ↩︎An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
  7. [7]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  8. [8]Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest. — Hitchcock. C. L. · University of Washington Press · 1955 · ISBN - ↩︎A standard flora for Western N. America with lots of information on habitat etc. Five large volumes, it is not for the casual reader.
  9. [9]Dictionary of Economic Plants. — Uphof. J. C. Th. · Weinheim · 1959 · ISBN - ↩︎An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
  10. [10]A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. — Usher. G. · Constable · 1974 · ISBN 0094579202 ↩︎Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
  11. [11]Edible and Useful Wild Plants of the United States and Canada. — Saunders. C. F. · Dover Publications · 1976 · ISBN 0-486-23310-3 ↩︎Useful wild plants of America. A pocket guide.
  12. [12]Native American Ethnobotany — Moerman. D. · Timber Press. Oregon. · 1998 · ISBN 0-88192-453-9 ↩︎Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.
  13. [13]A Field Guide to Rocky Mountain Wildflowers — Craighead. J., Craighead. F. and Davis. R. · The Riverside Press · 1963 · ISBN 63-7093 ↩︎Excellent little pocket guide to the area, covering 590 species and often giving details of their uses.
  14. [14]Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants. — Grae. I. · MacMillan Publishing Co. New York. · 1974 · ISBN 0-02-544950-8 ↩︎A very good and readable book on dyeing.
  15. [15]Plants in British Columbian Indian Technology. — Turner. N. J. · British Columbia Provincial Museum · 1979 · ISBN 0-7718-8117-7 ↩︎Excellent and readable guide.