RABBIT BRUSH

Rabbit brush with its showy clusters of bright, yellow flowers dominates Southern California’s brownish mountain slopes, deserts and plains this time of the year.

In other seasons, the shrub is inconspicuous. But during the fall, it makes the lackluster sagebrush, grasses and other plants among which it grows pale in comparison to its vibrant blossoms.

Rabbit brush (Chrysothamnus), which grows best in alkaline soil, is a member of the sunflower family. A common plant throughout the western United States, as many as 13 species of rabbit brush can be found only in North America.

The rounded shrub has slim, erect, flexible branches that, in most species, are covered with dense, felt-like hairs. The hairs often are overlooked until the surface of the branch is lightly scraped.

The shrub can reach heights of up to 10 feet, but usually is from 3 to 5 feet tall.

Very narrow grayish green or light green leaves as small as 3/4 of an inch long grow at the ends of the stems, along with the dense clusters of flowers. Leaves can be up to 3 inches long. The numerous flower heads are to 1/2 of an inch high. Each slender flower head has five tiny florets.

The Navajo Indians extracted a yellow dye from the flowers.