Description
Baccharis –
There are about 350 species of dioecious deciduous or evergreen shrubs and herbaceous perennials, in this genus. They occur from coasts, salt marshes, river banks, mountain and woodland margins in the America. Leaves are alternate, tough and leathery, and very variable in shape but mostly toothed or lobed and slightly resinous, and wiry stemmed, or absent. Flowers are daisy like, usually white or gray held singly or in axillary panicles or corymbs. Where not hardy grow in a cool greenhouse. Some are salt resistant.
Grow in fertile soil in full sun.
Prone to rust and fungal leaf spots.
B. halimifolia – Groundsel Bush – Sea Myrtle – Cotton-seed Tree – This vigorous, upright, deciduous shrub from Eastern USA, South Central USA, Mexico and the West Indies grows 3-12′ feet tall and 12′ feet wide. From partial downy branches it carries obovate to oval to paddle shaped, gray green leaves, to 3″ long with large teeth. In autumn it bears axillary clusters of small white flowers, in corymbs to 6″ across. Female plants bears downy, silky white fruit.
Zones 4-9
