What is a Brittlebush (Encelia)

What is Brittlebush 

Brittlebush Overview

Bright yellow close-up of brittlebush (Encelia farinosa) sunflower wildflower

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Taxonomy

• Kingdom: Plantae
• Clade: Tracheophytes
• Clade: Angiosperms
• Clade: Eudicots
• Clade: Asterids
• Order: Asterales [fused petals]
• Family: Asteraceae [Sunflower]
• Subfamily: Asteroideae
• Tribe: Heliantheae
• Subtribe: Enceliinae
• Genus: Encelia

There are several species of Brittlebush found in the Southwest and we have listed those below. Links will be added to each as we develop the articles on each species in the genus encelia.

1. Encelia actoni – Acton Brittlebush [California]
2. Encelia californica – California Brittlebush [California]
3. Encelia farinosa – Brittlebush [California, Arizona, Utah, Nevada]
4. Encelia frutescens – Button Brittlebush [Arizona, California, Nevada]
5. Encelia nutans – Nodding Sunray [Utah, Colorado]
6. Encelia resinifera – Sticky Brittlebush [Utah, Arizona]
7. Encelia scaposa – Onehead Brittlebush [Texas, New Mexico]
8. Encelia virginensis – Virgin River Brittlebush [California, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico]

Yellow flowering racemose radiate head inflorescences of Encelia Actoni, Asteraceae, native shrub in the Western Mojave Desert, Springtime.

References Used

• Wikipedia – Brittlebush

What is Brittlebush (Genus: Encelia)