# Broom Snakeweed (*Gutierrezia sarothrae*) Broom Snakeweed is a tall plant with thin, green stems and small yellow flowers. It grows in dry places and is important for helping the soil stay healthy. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 3 - **Habitat:** Desert ![Broom Snakeweed](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Gutierreziasarothrae.jpg&width=800) Photo: Clarence A. Rechenthin, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gutierreziasarothrae.jpg) ## Appearance The Broom Snakeweed is a bushy plant with many slender, broom-like green stems. It explodes with a dense cluster of tiny, bright yellow, daisy-like flowers, creating a golden blanket over dry landscapes in late summer and fall. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Asterales - **Family:** Asteraceae - **Genus:** Gutierrezia ## Interesting facts - Called 'turpentine weed' for its strong, resinous smell when its leaves are crushed! - Its tiny yellow flowers are packed tightly, forming a brilliant golden display in dry landscapes! - Scientists study its unique chemicals for new medicines or pest control! - Tough Broom Snakeweed improves rocky soil, making it easier for other plants to grow! ## Special abilities - **Deep Thirst-Quencher:** Broom Snakeweed has a long taproot that can reach deep into the soil to find water, helping it survive in very dry places. - **Bitter Bodyguard:** Broom Snakeweed produces special chemicals that taste bad or are toxic to many animals, protecting it from being eaten. - **Soil Anchor:** This plant has a strong root system that helps hold loose soil in place, preventing it from being washed or blown away. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-100 cm - **Spread:** 30-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.2-0.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late summer to fall - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** High - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits flowers for nectar and pollen. - **Pollinates:** Western Bumblebee (*Bombus occidentalis*) — Important native pollinator for its flowers. - **Pollinates:** Pahaska Skipper (*Hesperia pahaska*) — Butterfly visits flowers for nectar. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Desert](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/desert): Desert habitats are arid regions characterized by extremely low precipitation and often extreme temperatures, supporting specialized flora and fauna. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch plants without asking an adult, as some can be prickly. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Broom Snakeweed? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Broom Snakeweed? 30-100 cm ### How wide does Broom Snakeweed spread? 30-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on Broom Snakeweed? 0.2-0.5 cm ### When does Broom Snakeweed bloom? Late summer to fall ### Is Broom Snakeweed edible? No ### Is Broom Snakeweed toxic? High ### What is Broom Snakeweed's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Colorado National Monument Visitor Center Complex](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/colorado-national-monument-visitor-center-complex) — Colorado, US · National Park - [Toadstool Geologic Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/toadstool-geologic-park) — Nebraska, US · Nature Reserve - [Crow Canyon Archaeological District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/crow-canyon-archaeological-district) — New Mexico, US · Historic District - [Dinosaur Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dinosaur-park) — South Dakota, US · Botanical Garden [View all places to see Broom Snakeweed](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/broom-snakeweed) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Broom Snakeweed: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/broom-snakeweed)