Baccharis

Baccharis L. is a genus of perennials and shrubs in the family Asteraceae. Sometimes referred to as "brooms" because many members have small thin leaves, they are not at all related to the true brooms. The 250-400 species occur throughout the Americas.

If present, the leaves are borne along the stems in alternate fashion. Flowers are usually white or pinkish. There are no ray flowers, but many disk flowers (which are staminate) and pistillate flowers.

Baccharis species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Phymatopus californicus and Phymatopus hectoides as well as Bucculatrix leaf-miners: B. dominatrix and B. seperabilis feed exclusively on Baccharis pilularis, B. ivella feeds on B. halimifolia and B. variabilis is a polyphagous species which have been recorded on Baccharis. The Coleophora case-bearers C. linosyridella and C. viscidiflorella are also polyphagous species which have been recorded on Baccharis pilularis. Schinia ocularis feeds exclusively on B. sarothroides.

Several species are of interest for cultivation, as the dense but flexible stem structure makes for a good windbreak. Other species, particularly B. halimifolia, have become weeds in introduced areas such as Australia and Spain.

The genus is named after Bacchus, the Latin god of wine.

Species
Baccharis halimifolia (groundsel bush, consumption weed, cotton-seed tree, groundsel tree) is a fall flowering evergreen perennial plant of the genus Baccharis which is commonly found in the southeastern United States, although it may be found as far north as Maine. It is typically found in coastal plains and wet areas. It is dioecious -- male and female flowers are found on separate plants. Baccharis halimifolia is an invasive species along the coast of southern Queensland and New South Wales in Australia.

Baccharis linearis is a common shrub in Central Chile. It is frequently found in old field after agriculture. Cecidia of Rachiptera limbata (Tephritidae) grows a white, spongy and globose gall in the twigs of the plant.

Baccharis pilularis, called Coyote Brush (or Bush), Chaparral Broom, and Bush Baccharis, is a shrub in the Asteraceae that grows in California, Oregon, and Baja California.
It is known as a secondary pioneer plant in communities such as coastal sage scrub and chaparral. In California grasslands, it comes in late and invades and increases in the absence of fire or grazing. Coyote bush invasion of grasslands is important because it helps the establishment of other coastal sage species. Coyote bush is common in coastal sage scrub, but it does not regenerate under a closed shrub canopy because seedling growth is poor in the shade. Coast live oak, California bay, or other shade tolerant species replace coastal sage scrub and other coyote bush-dominated areas, particularly when there hasn't been fire and grazing.
Coyote bush is used infrequently in cultivation. It requires good drainage and moderate summer watering. Coyote brush is also drought tolerant, very useful for hedges or fence lines and for ground cover. It is rather deer-proof. It requires watering once a week until established and then about once per month during the first summer. It can mature in one to two years. The Jepson Manual, the definitive flora for the state of California, calls erect plants just Baccharis pilularis, the same name as the ground cover form. They are considered the same species, because the short and tall plants intergrade completely. Yet only male plants are utilized in landscaping for Baccharis pilularis. If these are substituted for B. pilularis consanguinea in ecological restoration, there will not be as much seed set and recruitment of new individuals. Baccharis species are nectar sources for most of the predatory wasps, native small butterflies and native flies.

Baccharis douglasii is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family known by the common names saltmarsh baccharis and Douglas' baccharis. It is native to California, where it grows in wet places such as salt marshes. Its range may extend into Oregon. This is a rhizomatous perennial herb growing to heights between one and two meters. The lance-shaped leaves are up to about 12 centimeters long and have short winged petioles. The foliage and inflorescences are resinous and sticky. The plants are dioecious, with male plants producing clusters of up to 40 whitish staminate flowers and female plants bearing bunches of up to 150 fluffy whitish pistillate flowers with a hairlike pappus attached to each developing fruit.

Baccharis salicifolia is a flowering shrub native to the desert southwest of the United States and northern Mexico, as well as parts of South America. Its usual common name is mule fat; it is also called seepwillow or water-wally. This is a large bush with sticky foliage which bears plentiful small, fuzzy, pink or red-tinged white flowers. The long pointed leaves may be toothed. It is most common near water sources.

Baccharis sarothroides is a species of flowering shrub known by the common names broom baccharis and desert broom. This is a spreading, woody shrub usually sticky with glandular secretions. The small, thick leaves are a few centimeters long and are absent much of the year, giving the shrub a spindly, twiggy gray appearance. It flowers abundantly in white blooms with separate flower heads for male and female blossoms. This plant is native to northern Mexico and the southwestern United States, where it is most common in the gravelly dry soils of the desert regions.

Baccharis dracunculifolia

Baccharis rhomboidalis

Baccharis sergiloides (desert baccharis)

Baccharis trimera

Baccharis sagittalis

Baccharis emoryi

Baccharis genistelloides

Baccharis sphaerocephala (Chilean radin)

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