# coyote brush (*Baccharis pilularis*) Coyote brush is a bushy plant that grows in sunny places. It has small, fluffy flowers that look like little cotton balls and helps provide homes for many tiny creatures. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 6 - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![coyote brush](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Baccharis_pilularis.jpg&width=800) Photo: http://www.nps.gov/archive/goga/parklabs/library/plantguide/white/coyotebrush.htm, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Baccharis_pilularis.jpg) ## Appearance The coyote brush is a dense, evergreen shrub with small, often toothed, green leaves. Its tiny, yellowish-white flowers appear in fluffy clusters, which look like small pom-poms, especially when mature and releasing seeds. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Asterales - **Family:** Asteraceae - **Genus:** Baccharis ## Interesting facts - It's named 'coyote brush' because coyotes often rest or hide among its dense branches for shelter! - It's one of the first plants to grow back after wildfires, helping nature heal quickly! - Its tiny, fluffy seeds can float far on the wind, exploring new places to grow! - Some coyote brush plants are boys and some are girls, each making different fluffy seed types! ## Special abilities - **Drought Defender:** Coyote brush has tough, leathery leaves that help it hold onto precious water, allowing it to survive long dry spells. - **Soil Stabilizer:** Coyote brush has strong, widespread roots that help hold soil together, preventing erosion on slopes and disturbed ground. - **Fire Follower:** Coyote brush can quickly regrow from its roots after wildfires, helping burned landscapes recover and provide habitat. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 50-300 cm - **Spread:** 50-250 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.2-0.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Fall - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Wind ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [Mule Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — Mule deer browse on its leaves and twigs. - **Shelter:** [California Quail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-quail) (*Callipepla californica*) — Dense branches provide cover from predators. - **Eats:** European Honeybee (*Apis mellifera*) — Honeybees gather nectar and pollen from its flowers. ## 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. - [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [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. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [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 the plants without asking an adult. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify coyote brush? 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 coyote brush? 50-300 cm ### How wide does coyote brush spread? 50-250 cm ### How big are the flowers on coyote brush? 0.2-0.5 cm ### When does coyote brush bloom? Fall ### Is coyote brush edible? No ### Is coyote brush toxic? None ### What is coyote brush's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Conejo Valley Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/conejo-valley-botanical-garden) — California, US · Botanical Garden - [South Bonnie Brae Tract Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/south-bonnie-brae-tract-historic-district) — California, US · Historic District - [Selig Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/selig-zoo) — California, US · Zoo - [Golden Hill](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/golden-hill) — California, US · Neighborhood - [Point San Luis Light](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/point-san-luis-light) — California, US · Historic District - [Lands End](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lands-end) — California, US · Natural Landmark [View all places to see coyote brush](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/coyote-brush) ## 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: [Coyote Brush: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coyote-brush)