Plant · GBIF taxon 3129497
coyote brush
Baccharis pilularisAlso known as Chaparral Broom, Bush Baccharis
Coyote brush is a resilient, evergreen shrub that dominates coastal sage scrub and chaparral communities along the Pacific coast. It occurs in two distinct forms: a low-growing, wind-sheared groundcover on coastal bluffs and an upright, woody bush further inland. During late autumn, these plants burst into fluffy white displays as female flowers release thousands of wind-borne seeds, providing critical late-season nectar for native pollinators.
EvergreenDrought-TolerantCoastal
- diet
- Autotrophic (Photosynthetic)
- family
- Asteraceae
- threats
- Habitat loss, urbanization, and altered fire regimes
- life Span
- 10 to 20 years
LC
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
- Identify the sex: Look closely at the flowers in autumn; male plants have yellowish, pollen-bearing blossoms, while females produce fluffy white seed heads.
- Observe the galls: Search the stems for small, round swellings caused by the beneficial coyote brush bud midge.
- Check the growth form: Notice how plants near ocean bluffs grow prostrate to survive high winds, while inland shrubs stand upright.