XChrysothamnus nauseosus - Gray RabbitbrushX
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Gray Rabbitbrush -or- Rubber Rabbitbrush - or- Golden Rabbitbrush -or- Chamisa (Chrysothamnus nauseosus), family Asteraceae (Aster/Sunflower)
This specimen is a less mature example of the plant. They are very common and can grown quite a bit larger in diameter. Weber describes this species as "the most abundant and showy species in the area". This species favors dry regions of North America and is highly variable. There are almost 30 distinct subspecies identified. Weber (as of his 3rd edition of Colorado Flora Eastern Slope) names 8 of them as present in Colorado. The plants provide valuable browsing food for ranging wildlife. Sometimes this species is named Ericameria nauseosa.
USES: Per the website Plants For a Future, there a quite a few uses of this species, only one of which can be called edible - a chewing gum coming from the plant root. Quote: 'A decoction of the twigs has been used in the treatment of toothaches, coughs and chest pains. An infusion of the flowering stems has been used in the treatment of colds and TB. An infusion of the leaves and stems has been used to treat colds, diarrhoea, stomach cramps etc. It has also been used externally as a wash for sores and skin eruptions, especially smallpox. The plant shows slight bactericidal activity. In small doses, the extracts lowered the blood pressure briefly in rabbits. In large doses, the fall in blood pressure was pronounced, accompanied by circulatory and respiratory failure. The plant is a source of latex, used in making rubber. There is no commercially viable method of extracting it as yet. The leaves have been used as a sanitary towel, especially after childbirth. A green dye is obtained from the bark. A yellow-gold dye is obtained from the flowers. The growing plant repels insects. The cottony fruiting heads are used as a stuffing material for pillows etc'.
Oddly enough: Specimens of this species growing in Bayo Canyon, near Los Alamos, New Mexico, exhibit a concentration of radioactive strontium-90 300,000 times higher than a normal plant. Their roots reach into a closed nuclear waste treatment area, mistaking strontium for calcium due to its similar chemical properties. The radioactive shrubs are "indistinguishable from other shrubs without a Geiger counter."
Flower -
Plant location: Hwy 285 headed towards Buena Vista Colorado, on August 23, 2008. Off the roadside. Plant -
Bloom season: August to October.Foliage -
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