About this episode
This episode discusses the Brittlebush plant and its significance in the desert ecosystem.
Brittlebush, (Encelia farinosa) loves rocky hillsides and gravelly desert. And though this native shrub has a large range showing up in the Mojave and Great Basin Deserts, for me the bright yellow flowers atop the silvery foliage shout, “Sonoran Desert!” If you’re interested in ethnobotany (why wouldn’t you be?) this is a good plant to add to your journal with its many uses, from chewing gum to incense. And listen, native plant nurseries grow and sell this wonderful wide ranging native, so plant or 2 or 3 in your personal habitat to remind you that the desert is beautiful. Yeah…
People in this episode
Host: Petey Mesquitey
Topics covered
- ethnobotany
- native plants
- desert ecology
- plant uses
- gardening
Keywords
- Brittlebush
- Encelia farinosa
- Sonoran Desert
- native plants
- ethnobotany
- gardening
- desert flora
Mentioned in this episode
Products: Brittlebush, Encelia farinosa
Places: Mojave Desert, Great Basin Desert, Sonoran Desert
More episodes of Growing Native with Petey Mesquitey
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- Penstemon Stuff! · May 10, 2026 · 5 min
- Drive-By Bebbia in the Borderlands · May 3, 2026 · 4 min
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