Gutierrezia sarothrae
Drought-tolerant, broom-like perennial subshrub native to western North America, 10–60 cm tall, with small yellow flower heads, thousands of wind-dispersed seeds, and toxicity to livestock in large quantities.
Common Names
Broom Snakeweed, Broomweed, Snakeweed, Kindlingweed, Matchweed, Stinkweed, Turpentine Weed, Yellow Top, Yerba De La Vibora, Hierba De La Vibora, Matchbrush, Perennial Snakeweed
Summary
The broom snakeweed is a native perennial subshrub of western North America, 10–60 cm tall with a woody base and slender erect stems. Leaves are alternate, linear to lanceolate and 1–3 mm wide, giving a threadlike appearance; yellow flower heads occur in dense flat-topped clusters, with ray florets 2–8 and disk florets 2–9, flowering roughly July to November. The plant is insect-pollinated and produces wind-dispersed seeds in high numbers, with seeds capable of remaining viable for years.
For cultivation, it prefers full sun and dry, well-drained soils, tolerates poor soils and drought with minimal maintenance, making it suitable for xeriscaping and dry native plantings. Propagation is by seed. Ethnobotanical uses include broom-making and medicinal preparations, and the plant can be toxic to livestock in large quantities due to saponins, with abortion risk; range-management practices such as grazing adjustments during rapid growth are advised. Fire can reduce populations but post-fire densities may rebound, and integrated management may involve prescribed fire and herbicides or grazing adjustments.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
8 inches-3 feet
Spread
12-18 inches
Hardiness Zones
Zone 6
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally full sun. Partial shade.
Soil Type
Well-drained, dry, sandy soils
Soil Drainage
Well-drained soil
Soil pH
6.0-8.0, Mildly acidic to mildly alkaline (neutral to basic) soils
Bloom Color
Yellow
Bloom Time
Summer and Fall
Foliage Color
Green; yellow-green; pale yellow or brown seasonally (green when active); new growth green; older stems grayish-tan
Fall Foliage Color
Yellow
Leaf Lifecycle
Deciduous
Growth Rate
Rapid
Seasons of Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Cuttings
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts bees, butterflies, other pollinators, and birds
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- (Pursh) Britton & Rusby
- Publication
- Trans. New York Acad. Sci. 7: 10 (1887)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Asterales
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Subfamily
- Asteroideae
- Tribe
- Astereae
- Subtribe
- Gutiereziinae
- Genus
- Gutierrezia
Synonyms
Solidago sarothrae Galinsoga linearifolia Brachyris euthamiae Gutierrezia linearifolia Gutierrezia longifolia Gutierrezia tenuis Gutierrezia filifolia Gutierrezia globosa Gutierrezia myriocephala Gutierrezia sarothrae var. sarothrae Xanthocephalum sarothrae var. sarothrae Gutierrezia digyna Gutierrezia greenei Gutierrezia sarothrae var. pomariensis Gutierrezia diversifolia Gutierrezia fasciculata Gutierrezia juncea Gutierrezia corymbosa Brachyris divaricata Xanthocephalum petradoria Xanthocephalum longipappum Gutierrezia longipappa Gutierrezia haenkei Brachyachyris euthamiae Gutierrezia fulva Gutierrezia lepidota Gutierrezia ionensis Gutierrezia scoparia Gutierrezia linearis Gutierrezia goldmanii Gutierrezia divaricata Gutierrezia laricina Xanthocephalum digynum Gutierrezia linoides Gutierrezia euthamiae Xanthocephalum sarothrae Gutierrezia euthamiae var. euthamiae Xanthocephalum tenue Gutierrezia pomariensis Xanthocephalum sarothrae var. pomariense Gutierrezia furfuracea