Baccharis halimifolia
Groundsel Bush
Please register or login to build your personal plant list.Migrating butterflies and other pollinators nectar on the late summer blooming flowers, and birds eat the seeds.
Description:
Groundsel Bush is a densely branched, deciduous, salt-tolerant shrub. It is dioecious, with separate male and female plants, each producing flowers. Clusters of small yellow flowers bloom in late summer, giving way to fluffy white seed heads that burst open on female plants in the fall. Groundsel Bush is highly salt-tolerant, withstanding both saltwater spray and periodic brackish flooding, making it a great shrub for seashore and bayshore gardens. It grows well in any moist area. Use this shrub in coastal gardens, rain gardens, along freshwater ponds or streams, or for reclamation of disturbed, wet sites.
Wildlife Value: Butterflies, including migrating Monarchs (Danaus plexippus), feed on the nectar, which is also a food source for bees and other beneficial insects. This shrub provides nesting sites and cover for birds and wildlife, and birds eat the seeds.
Plant Details:
Other Common Names: Eastern Baccharis, Saltbush, Sea-myrtle
Plant Type: Shrub
New Jersey Native: Yes
Bloom Times: Late Summer to Fall
Bloom Colors: Yellow, White
Deer Resistance: High
Attracts Pollinators and Wildlife: Bees and Other Pollinators, Butterflies, Birds
Salt Tolerance: High
Hardiness Zone: 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
Physiographic Region: Coastal Plain - CP
Grows in Special Ecoregions: Barrier Island/Coastal
Soil Characteristics
Soil Type: Loam, Organic, Sandy, Clay
Soil Moisture: Dry, Moist, Wet
Soil pH: Acidic, Slightly Acidic, Neutral
Light Needs of Plant
Optimal Light: Full Sun
Light Range: Full Sun
Water Needs of Plant
Soil Moisture: Dry, Moist, Wet
Drought Tolerance: Low
Size and Growth Rate
Height: 5 - 12 ft
Spread: 5 - 12 ft
Growth Rate: Medium