Coyote Brush
Baccharis pilularis
Coyote bush is a large, leafy shrub with multiple woody branches reaching 1-3 meters in height. The numerous leaf-coated branches range from low-lying and spreading to tall and erect. The bright green leaves are rounded and oval. The shiny leaves are smooth with a sticky texture, and range 8-55 mm in length. The plant’s minute flower clusters, which emerge from the ends of the stems, are made of small, yellowish-white flowers.
Basic Information
Member of the Asteraceae family
Shrub
There are two subspecies of this plant:
Ssp. pilularis — more common along the central coast
Ssp. consanguinea — common all along the coast and inland to the Coast Ranges and the foothills of the Sierras
Habitat
Native to California, Oregon, Washington and Baja California
Commonly found in coastal sage scrub and chaparral communities on bluffs, foothills, and flats
Coyote brush is perhaps the most common and widespread shrub in the coastal brush of northern and central California
Ecological Role
Very attractive to insects, especially when in flower
common to find wasp galls on the leaves
The leaf forms small protrusions around wasp larvae to prevent them from consuming the leaf
Reproduction
Blooms from July to October
The flowers are unisexual, with separate male and female flowers
Alternative Names
Coyote Brush, Coyotebrush, Dwarf Chaparral Broom, Chaparral Broom, and Bush Baccharis
Historical Uses
The Ohlone used an infusion of the plant as a general remedy
Numerous tribes used the light, flexible wood of this plant for arrows
Additional Information
The genus name Baccharis refers to the Roman god of wine and revelry, Bacchus while pilularis, meaning “pill-shaped,” refers to the round, flat flower heads
