Ericameria laricifolia, Turpentine Bush, Southwest Desert Flora

Ericameria laricifolia, Turpentine Bush

Turpentine Bush has showy bright yellow flowers in cyme-like arrays. The fruit is called a cypsela and this one has a soft-hairy white to brown pappus. Ericameria laricifolia

Turpentine Bush, has yellow flowers and bracts that are surrounding the flower heads that are linear to lanceolate in shape. Ericameria laricifolia

Turpentine Bush has air-bourne fruits that range from soft white to brown. Plants bloom from August or September to October or November. Ericameria laricifolia

Turpentine Bush has small dark green leaves that are crowded along the stems. Note that the needles are thin or filiform and the leaves are somewhat fleshy. Leaves are aromatic and smell like turpentine. Ericameria laricifolia

Turpentine Bush is found in the Southwestern United States in AZ, CA, NM, NV, TX and UT. It is also native to Baja California and northern Mexico (Chihuahua and Coahuila). Ericameria laricifolia

Turpentine Bush is a late summer and fall bloomer that has showy flowers. Plants are found in elevations from 3,000 to 6,000 feet (914-1,829 m). Ericameria laricifolia

Turpentine Bush is more of an upland desert species preferring desert scrub and woodlands, sunny open areas, pinyon-juniper and chaparral communities, rocky slopes, canyons, rock walls, mesa slopes and dry desert washes. Ericameria laricifolia

Scientific Name: Ericameria laricifolia
Common Name: Turpentine Bush

Also Called: Ericameria, Turpentine Brush, Turpentinebush; Spanish; Hierba De Conejo

Family: Asteraceae, Sunflower Family

Synonyms: (Aplopappus laricifolius, Aster laricifolius, Aster laricifolia, Bigelowia nelsonii, Chrysocoma laricifolia, Chrysoma laricifolia, Ericameria nelsonii, Haplopappus laricifolius)

Status: Native

Duration: Perennial

Size: 1 to 3 feet (30-91 cm) tall or more (6 feet - 180 cm)

Growth Form: Shrub, subshrub; plants woody, compact, somewhat rounded although shrubby, inconspicuous when not in bloom, profuse with small yellow flower heads; stems erect or ascending, mostly hairless and aromatic (smells like turpentine); plants gland-dotted and sticky (resinous).

Leaves: Small dark green, leaves crowded, blades needle-like (filiform) to narrowly lanceolate; leaves also gland-dotted and resinous; lower stems often without leaves; leaves aromatic, smell like turpentine.

Flower Color: Yellow, golden bright yellow; heads in irregular arrays or cyme-like clusters; floral heads with both ray (3 to 6) and disk (6 to 16) florets; bracts (phyllaries) surrounding heads linear to lanceolate; fruit is a cypsela with soft-hairy white to brown pappus.

Flowering Season: August or September to October or November

Elevation: 3,000 to 6,000 feet (914-1,829 m)

Habitat Preferences: More of an upland desert species preferring desert scrub and woodlands, sunny open areas, pinyon-juniper and chaparral communities, rocky slopes, canyons, rock walls, mesa slopes and dry desert washes.

Recorded Range: Turpentine Bush is found in the Southwestern United States in AZ, CA, NM, NV, TX and UT. It is also native to Baja California and northern Mexico (Chihuahua and Coahuila). In Arizona Turpentine Bush occurs in the central, southern and western parts of the state.

North America & US County Distribution Map for Ericameria laricifolia.

North America species range map for Turpentine Bush, Ericameria laricifolia:
North American range map courtesy of Virginia Tech, Dept. of Forest Resources & Environmental Conservation

Click image for full size map

U.S. Weed Information: Unknown
Invasive/Noxious Weed Information: Unknown
Wetland Indicator: Unknown
Threatened/Endangered Information: Unknown

Genus Information: In North America there are 33 species and 33 accepted taxa overall for Ericameria. Worldwide, The Plant List includes 39 accepted species names and a further 244 of infraspecific rank for the genus.

As a whole, the members of the genus Ericameria are generally referred to as Goldenbush, Turpentine Bush, Rabbitbrush and Rabbitbush and Rabbitbrush. They were all formerly described as Aplopappus, Haplopappus or Chrysothamnus.

The genus Ericameria was published in 1840 by Thomas Nuttall.

In the Southwestern United States: Arizona has 9 species of Ericameria, California has 22 species, Nevada has 15 species, New Mexico has 4 species, Texas has 2 species, Utah has 13 species. Hybrids exist. All data is approximate and subject to taxonomic changes.

Comments: One of the more common plants found in Arizona above 3,000 feet (914 m) that blooms showy bright yellow flowers in late summer and early fall. It grows well in arid environments and dry alkaline soil and is often used in desert landscapes to achieve a more natural look. Birds and insects readily feed on Turpentine Bush and other species of Ericameria.

In Southwest Desert Flora also see Narrowleaf Goldenbush, Ericameria linearifolia and Rubber Rabbitbush, Ericameria nauseosa.

Importance to Wildlife, Birds and Livestock The genus Ericameria species are used as food plants by the larvae of some butterfly species including those from the genus Schinia. Also,Turpentine plants are browsed by rabbits. Seeds are eaten by birds and small mammals.

Special Value to Native bees, Butterflies and Insects The genus Ericameria species are used as food plants by the larvae of some butterfly species including those from the genus Schinia. Also, Ericameria laricifolia flowers and plants may be visited by native bees, other butterflies and/or insects in search of food, nectar or cover.

Etymology: The genus Ericameria (Ericamer'ia:) is from the Greek Erica (Ereika), “heath,” and meris or meros for “division or part,” referring to the heath-like leaves.

The genus Ericameria was published in 1840 by Thomas Nuttall.

The species epithet laricifolia (laricifo'lia:) with leaves that look like the Larch tree.

Ethnobotany Unknown