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| There are a number of
Rabbitbrushes in the Four Corners area; the two most common are Ericameria nauseosus and Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus. Both have similar
habitats, but Chrysothamnus
viscidiflorus ranges from the high desert into the lower mountains. Ericameria nauseosa, the
most common Rabbitbrush in our area, is confined to the high desert. It often grows seven feet tall and
wide with a wide-spreading open crown. It
is easily distinguished by the white felt covering its twigs. Chrysothamnus
viscidiflorus grows to three or four feet tall with a tighter growth pattern;
it has sticky flowers and its leaves are twisted. Both species seed themselves readily and therefore often
sprout dozens of bushes in one area.
All the Rabbitbrush species shown on this web site are late flowering, usually in August and September when their crowns become a bright golden glow of flowers. This glow gave rise to the Latin name "Chryso" "thamnus", "golden" "bush" which was the name Thomas Nuttall gave this genus in the early 19th century for its "affinity to [the genus] Chrysocoma and brilliant golden yellow flowers." Nuttall also named the Ericameria genus from the Greek "ereike" (heath) and "meris" (part), referring to the heath-like leaves. |
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Ericameria
nauseosa.
Synonym: Chrysothamnus nauseosus. (Rabbitbrush, Rubber Rabbitbrush, Golden Rabbitbrush, Chamisa, Chamisso) Semi-desert, foothills,
montane. Openings, disturbed areas. Fall. Ericameria nauseosus is very common in the Four Corners. It seeds itself readily in open, sandy soils and grows very quickly, even in drought times. The pictured shrub is about five feet tall and wide but is just five years old. New blue-green leaves show above the light brown masses of last year's dried flowers. Notice the woody, leafless stems at the bottom. Ericameria nauseosus is, according to Intermountain Flora, "a highly variable species" and the scores of different scientific names given it since 1814, when it was first named Chrysocoma nauseosa, attest to this variability. The first specimens of this plant were collected by Meriwether Lewis along the Missouri River, probably in 1806. |
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Ericameria
nauseosa. Synonym: Chrysothamnus nauseosus. (Rabbitbrush, Rubber Rabbitbrush, Golden Rabbitbrush, Chamisa, Chamisso) Semi-desert, foothills,
montane. Openings, disturbed areas. Fall. |
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Ericameria
nauseosa. Synonym: Chrysothamnus nauseosus. (Rabbitbrush, Rubber Rabbitbrush, Golden Rabbitbrush, Chamisa, Chamisso) Semi-desert, foothills,
montane. Openings, disturbed areas. Fall. Rabbitbrush in the fall shows a variety of colors and textures: light brown puffs of a myriad of seeds, darker brown older seeds in the back right, fresh flowers in the center, and long light stems in the back center and left. The seeds are eaten by many birds. |
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Ericameria
nauseosa. Synonym: Chrysothamnus nauseosus. (Rabbitbrush, Rubber Rabbitbrush, Golden Rabbitbrush, Chamisa, Chamisso) Semi-desert, foothills,
montane. Openings, disturbed areas. Fall. Rabbitbrush upper stems are white/green and contrast subtly with golden flowers. Crushed stems exude a sharp, sweet odor. |
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Ericameria
nauseosa. Synonym: Chrysothamnus nauseosus. (Rabbitbrush, Rubber Rabbitbrush, Golden Rabbitbrush, Chamisa, Chamisso) Semi-desert, foothills,
montane. Openings, disturbed areas. Fall. Galls (abnormal tissue growth caused by the irritation of insects) are common on Rabbitbrush. Here is what entomologist and friend, Charlie King, told me about the galls:
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Range map © John Kartesz,
County Color Key
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Range map for Ericameria nauseosa |