Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus
| Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 3 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 3' |
| Blooms: | Mid Summer-Early Fall |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus (common name: green rabbitbrush)
Propagation: Seed - we have no information for this species but suggest sowing the seed in spring in a greenhouse and only just covering the seed. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in sand in a frame[1].
Cultivation: Requires a sunny position and prefers a well-drained sandy soil[2][3]. Plants do not require a rich soil[3]. They tolerate alkaline soils[1].
A very hardy plant but it prefers a drier climate than it finds in Britain though it succeeds in this country if given the protection of a dry sunny wall[1].
A very variable and ornamental species[4].
The leaves and stems are pleasantly aromatic[5].
Range: Western N. America - southern British Columbia to California.
Habitat: Dry open places in lowlands and up to moderate elevations[4].
Edibility: A latex obtained from the root is used as a chewing gum[6][7][8][9].
The plant has been used as a spice[9].
Medicinal: A poultice made from the chewed plant tips has been applied to boils and rheumatic joints[9].
An infusion of the leaves has been used to treat colds[9].
The finely mashed leaves have been inserted in tooth cavities to treat toothache[9].
Usage: The latex obtained from the roots could be used in making rubber[6][7][10][11]. Unfortunately it is not produced in sufficient quantity to make commercial extraction worthwhile[K].
A green dye is obtained from the bark[12].
A yellow-gold dye is obtained from the flowers[12][9]. It is orange when alum is used as a mordant[9].
Pollinators: Insects
Soil: Can grow in light and medium soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Also Known As: Bigelovia douglasii.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Hitchcock, Leo. Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press, 1955.
- ↑ Grey-Wilson, Christopher and Victoria Matthews. Gardening on Walls. Collins, 1983.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ Tanaka, Tyōzaburō. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing, 1976.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 Moerman, Daniel. Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press, 1998.
- ↑ Yanovsky, Elias. Food Plants of the North American Indians Publication 237. US Department of Agriculture.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Grae, Ida. Nature's Colors. MacMillan Publishing, 1974.