Asteraceae FAMILY

Baccharis halimifolia

Edibility

0/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

The leaves contain a cardiotoxic glycoside known to cause the death of sheep if they eat about one percent of their body weight in leaves[ 270 Title Flora of N. America Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses. ]. Visible symptoms of poisoning range from mild depression followed by recovery, to extreme listlessness and stupor followed by death. The toxic compound attacks the hepatic and circulatory systems[ 1050 Title Fire Effects Information System Publication Author Website http://www.feis-crs.org/feis/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line information site with comprehensive information on over 1,100 species of plant. Mainly developed to supply information on the effects of fire on plants and animals, it also contains a wealth of other information on the plants ]. The plant may aggravate hay fever symptoms for some people[ 1050 Title Fire Effects Information System Publication Author Website http://www.feis-crs.org/feis/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line information site with comprehensive information on over 1,100 species of plant. Mainly developed to supply information on the effects of fire on plants and animals, it also contains a wealth of other information on the plants ].

Botanical Description

Baccharis halimifolia is a freely-branched, deciduous shrub or small tree that usually grows 100 - 300cm tall, exceptionally to 600cm[ 270 Title Flora of N. America Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses. ]. The main stem seldom exceeds 16cm in diameter[ 1050 Title Fire Effects Information System Publication Author Website http://www.feis-crs.org/feis/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line information site with comprehensive information on over 1,100 species of plant. Mainly developed to supply information on the effects of fire on plants and animals, it also contains a wealth of other information on the plants ]. In some climates (Queensland in Australia, for example) the plant has become evergreen[ 1093 Title Invasive Species Compendium Publication Author Website http://www.cabi.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc). ]. The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild as a medicine and source of fuel. Its presence is said to indicate oil beneath the soil. An attractive ornamental, it is easy to grow, has attractive autumn colouring and can also be used as a hedge. The plant is also valuable for soil stabilization and has potential to be a pioneer when restoring woodland. Baccharis halimifolia has escaped from cultivation in various temperate areas, where it tends particularly to invade upper saltmarsh areas. It was introduced in Australia, where it now infests large areas along the eastern coast, prompting the search for biological control agents[ 270 Title Flora of N. America Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses. ]. Its success as an invasive weed is attributed to production of a large number of seeds that are widely dispersed by the wind, shade tolerant germination and seedlings, tolerance to wet soils and salinity, and ability to resprout after a fire[ 270 Title Flora of N. America Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate

Native RangeEastern and southern N. America - Nova Scotia to Florida, west to Oklahoma and Texas; Caribbean - Bahamas, Cuba; S. Mexico - Veracruz

HabitatOpen woods, thickets and borders of marshes near the coast[ 43 Title Gray's Manual of Botany.Eighth Edition Publication Author Fernald. M. L. Publisher American Book Co.; New York Year 1950 ISBN 0442222505 Description A bit dated but a good and concise flora of the eastern part of N. America. ], often in saline soils[ 235 Title An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Publication Author Britton. N. L. Brown. A. Publisher Dover Publications. New York. Year 1970 ISBN 0-486-22642-5 Description Reprint of a 1913 Flora, but still a very useful book. ]. Open sandy places, wet fields, marshes, beaches, disturbed sites, roadsides, old fields; at elevations up to 100 metres[ 270 Title Flora of N. America Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses. ].