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Chilean romerillo

Baccharis

Also called Groundsel Tree

Chilean romerillo
Photo: Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0

Baccharis is a large genus of about 500 shrubs and perennials in the daisy family, found across the Americas, mostly in warmer regions. Many grow as tough, dense shrubs that tolerate wind and poor soils, so they are grown mainly as windbreaks, wildlife and bee plants, and in gardens.

Family
Asteraceae (Daisy family)
Grows as
Shrub
Light
Full sun
Water
Water deeply but infrequently, letting the soil dry out between waterings once established.
Soil
Well-drained soil, tolerates sandy or poor soils.
Temperature
Generally hardy in mild climates; protect young plants from hard frost.
How easy
Easy
Safety
Toxic

About

Baccharis is a genus of perennials and shrubs in the aster family (Asteraceae). They are commonly known as baccharises but sometimes referred to as "brooms", because many members have small thin leaves resembling the true brooms. They are not at all related to these however, but belong to an entirely different lineage of eudicots. B. halimifolia is commonly known as "groundsel bush", however true groundsels are found in the genus Senecio.

Baccharis, with over 500 species, is one of the largest genera in the Asteraceae.

Where it grows

Baccharis are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species, such as the swift moths Phymatopus californicus and P. hectoides. Those of the leaf-miner moths Bucculatrix dominatrix and B. seperabilis feed exclusively on bush baccharis (B. pilularis), B. ivella has been found on eastern baccharis, and B. variabilis is a polyphagous species which has been recorded on various Baccharis. The Coleophora case-bearers C. linosyridella and C. viscidiflorella are polyphagous species whose larvae have been recorded on the Bush Baccharis as well as other plants. Caterpillars of the owlet moth Schinia ocularis feed exclusively on broom baccharis (B. sarothroides).

Uses

Several species of Baccharis are of interest for cultivation, as the dense but flexible stem structure makes for a good windbreak.

Other Baccharis plants

Baccharis articulata · Baccharis dracunculifolia · Eastern baccharis · Coyotebrush

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Baccharis by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.

The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.

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