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Brittlebush

Encelia farinosa

true

1 gallon; 5 gallon

Brittlebush

In stock

4’x4’

Sizes:

Brittlebush – Encelia farinosa

Another desert native that is a gorgeous foundational shrub for your wildlife landscapes. A mounding shrub with large, lance-shaped, gray leaves contrasts with the bright yellow daisy-like flowers produced in the spring. It is extremely drought tolerant, but in irrigated landscapes it may become quite lush and larger than plants existing on rainfall. I have had them as large as 8 feet in diameter in my yard! Do not overwater, as they may rot out or become short-lived. Plant in full sun and provide good drainage.

Brittlebush is one of the most common and important shrubs of the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts, found from southern California and Arizona into Baja California and Sonora, Mexico. In the wild, it thrives on rocky slopes, desert washes, and roadsides, where it helps stabilize soil and provides shelter for wildlife. The gray, felt-like coating on the leaves reflects sunlight and reduces water loss, allowing it to thrive in intense heat.

Flowering usually begins in late winter and can continue well into late spring, with occasional blooms after summer monsoons. When in peak bloom, Brittlebush creates masses of golden-yellow color across the desert landscape. It has a long ethnobotanical history — the Seri people and other Indigenous groups used its fragrant resin as incense, glue, and a remedy for toothaches, and early missionaries reportedly burned the resin as a substitute for frankincense.

Wildlife Value
Host Plant: Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
Nectar Source: Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus); Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae); Desert Metalmark (Apodemia mormo deserti); Arizona Powdered-Skipper (Hesperopsis alpheus); Tiny Checkerspot (Dymasia dymas); Monarch (Danaus plexippus) + other native butterflies and bees
Bird Resources: Nectar; Caterpillars; Seeds; Nesting habitat
Bird Species: Verdin (Auriparus flaviceps); House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus); Black-throated Sparrow (Amphispiza bilineata); Costa’s Hummingbird (Calypte costae); Anna’s Hummingbird (Calypte anna)
Other Wildlife: While not a food source for the Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassizii), this plant provides essential habitat value by offering shade and cover and is commonly used as a site for burrows.

Plant Care

Native region:

Local Native; Mojave Desert

Water needs:

Low

Exposure:

Full Sun

Mature size:

4’x4’

Growth rate:

Fast

Flower color:

Yellow

Flower season:

Winter; Spring sporadically year-round

Pruning:

Prune to rejuvenate and to control size

Cold Hardiness:

20 Degrees and root hardy to 5 degrees

Nectar-producing:

Yes

Attracts pollinators:

Yes

Nighttime pollinators:

Butterflies or Moths:

Yes

Monarchs:

Yes

Larval host:

Yes

Bees:

Yes

Bats:

Yes

Birds:

Yes

Nest site:

Yes

Nest materials:

Rabbit-resistant:

Yes

Tortoises:

Yes

Growing Plants in the Desert — Important Information

The information presented here is, to the best of my knowledge, accurate and based on reliable research, personal experience in my own garden, observations from other gardens I’ve visited, and time spent studying plants in their native habitats. I always welcome your feedback and experiences to help me continue educating others!

Cacti:
In my experience, cacti are much happier in filtered shade here in the low desert of the Coachella Valley. Their colors are more vibrant and they tend to bloom more profusely, especially the non-native varieties. If you look closely at how our native barrel cactus and beavertail prickly pear grow in the wild, you’ll often find them tucked among rocks or beneath the shelter of creosote and other shrubs.

⚠️ A note of caution: Cacti and succulents are often illegally collected from the wild, which not only damages plant populations but also disturbs entire ecosystems. In some cases, wild populations of cacti have even gone extinct because of this practice. When purchasing these plants, always be sure they’ve been legally obtained. Look for nursery-grown stock or plants with a native plant certification, and keep that documentation for your records.

Light Requirements:
In our desert (Sonoran/Colorado), “full sun” doesn’t always mean what you might think. Many so-called full-sun plants benefit from and actually appreciate some late-afternoon filtered light—especially during the intense summer months.