Blog by Jennifer DeDora

One day, I was strolling my front walk, and I noticed a plant I hadn’t planted…now how and when did that get there?! I left it where it was and watched it for a few weeks, and realized it was doing wonderfully and actually thriving amongst my purposefully planted plants. At that point, I decided to do a bit of research on it and search my property for more - I was curious! I found a few small ones in my various beds and was pleasantly surprised. I live on 2 1/2 acres in rural Solano County with mature oaks and other native trees, so the plant fit right in.

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   What I had found growing in my yard was Coyote Brush (Baccharis pilularis), also known as Chaparral Broom, Bush Baccharis, and Coyote Bush. Here are a few facts I’ve gathered about Coyote Brush. It is a drought-tolerant, deer-resistant, California native, perfect! One of my favorite tidbits about it is that it blooms when most other plants are not (August- December), so it is a vital plant for many local pollinators, such as native butterflies, bees, and moths. Another fun fact is that there are separate male and female plants, a term called dioecious. Therefore, two plants may have slightly different looks and roles in the plant’s reproductive cycle. The males produce more pollen via tiny yellow flowers, while the females produce more seeds with white ones.
  While I trimmed mine down to fit in with my existing landscape, if you have enough space, it will grow in a beautiful mound a few feet around. Coyote Brush can be purchased at many nurseries and is a wonderful addition. I am so happy this native decided to plant itself in my yard. I am going to try not to overwater or over “love” it, as it doesn’t need much when it comes to support!

Banner photo "J20160926-0025—Baccharis pilularis 'Al's Blue'—RPBG" by John Rusk is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

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