Organic Coyote Bush

Before I got to know a particular pair of coyote bushes, and saw the array of creatures they sheltered and fed, I thought of the species as a kind of weed. This often-overlooked evergreen shrub is native all along the California coast and east to the Sierra foothills, growing from 2-10’ tall depending on the setting. It makes a spreading mound as wide as it is tall, and tolerates a great range of soils and conditions. Winter seed production turns female plants into lovely mounds of white fluff.

Male and female flowers are borne on separate plants. The multitudes of tiny flowers are inconspicuous to us, but highly valued by pollinating insects. Honeybees favor the female flowers as a prime autumn nectar source, while native bees mob the male-flowered plants for pollen. The smallest over-wintering birds eat the seeds.

No summer water needed once established – great for naturalizing at garden edges to support pollinators and wildlife.

Latin name: Baccharis pilularis
Approx. 50 seeds per packet
Grown in Potter Valley, Mendocino County, California
Certified Organic by CCOF
Open-pollinated, non-GMO
Bee-friendly California Native