Ericameria ericoides
Mock Heather
native & endemic to CA
Light green-gray bristled leaves, with light colored woolly trichomes (leaf hairs).
Older parts of plant & dormant parts dark brown in color.
Flowers are bright yellow, with 3-5 oval "petals" that arise from the ray flowers. 2 branched style forked like a snake tongue.
Fluffy pappus light brown to white in color.
Shrub like shape, max height of about 3-4 feet.
Tolerates salt.
Safe to touch, no known skin irritation.
Taxonomy
Kingdom Plantae
Subkingdom Viridiplantae – green plants
Infrakingdom Streptophyta – land plants
Superdivision Embryophyta
Division Tracheophyta – vascular plants
Subdivision Spermatophytina – spermatophytes / seed plants
Class Magnoliopsida - 2 cotelydon embryo
Superorder Asteranae
Order Asterales
Family Asteraceae – sunflowers
Genus Ericameria Nutt. – goldenbush, heath goldenrod, heathgoldenrod
Species Ericameria ericoides (Less.) Jeps. "California goldenbush"
Taxonomy via ITIS
Found near:
Range Map
Listed Status: No listing known.
Collection Notes: Abundant wind carried seeds. Can be easily collected by hand into a paper or cloth bag.
Ericameria ericoides
"Mock Heather"
bristley leaves with round edges
vs. Baccharis pilularis
"Coyote Bush"
broader leaves with serrated edge
Food source for:
Bembix americana comata
Blue Sand Wasp
Larval Host for:
Aristotelia argentifera
Silver Twirler Moth
Propagation: Easy
From seed: Blooms September - November. Collect seeds when fluffy pappus remove easily in hand. Place in soil with light covering of soil or perlite to weigh down seeds (seeds are wind carried). First leaves will be visible in x days.
From cuttings - unknown