Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus subsp. puberulus
Photo: parent species Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus · no rights reserved · CC0
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus subsp. puberulus is a native California shrub in the Asteraceae family, recognized by dense puberulent gray-green appearance.
Viscid rabbitbrush is a California native shrub found in the eastern Sierra Nevada, San Bernardino Mountains, Great Basin, and desert mountains in sagebrush scrub, pinyon and juniper woodland, and subalpine slopes at elevations of 1,500 to 3,000 meters. Flowering from July to October, this plant produces yellow flowers in narrow cylindric clusters with blooms 4 to 7 millimeters long. Growing 30 to 100 centimeters tall with spreading, densely puberulent stems that are gray-green in color, it develops a distinctly conic and bushy appearance. Its leaves are thread-like to slightly oblanceolate, 1 to 4 centimeters long and typically 1 to 2 millimeters wide, covered in soft spreading hairs. The plant exhibits interesting variation, with tetraploid populations typically found at lower elevations and characterized by larger overall size.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 6 sympatric species; diagnostic dense puberulent gray-green appearance
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sagebrush scrub, pinyon/juniper woodland, subalpine slopes
Elevation: 1500-3000 m
Outside California: to Oregon, southern Idaho, Utah, northern Arizona
Bloom period
Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus subsp. puberulus blooms Jul-Oct.
How to tell it apart
vs Ericameria: Chrysothamnus has smooth/slightly fuzzy stems; Ericameria has densely woolly young stems.; vs Isocoma: Chrysothamnus has bracts in 5 vertical rows; Isocoma has randomly arranged bracts.; vs Gutierrezia: Chrysothamnus has only disk flowers per head; Gutierrezia has both ray and disk flowers.; vs Tetradymia: Chrysothamnus has 5 rows of many bracts; Tetradymia has only 4-6 bracts in 1-2 rows.; vs Cuniculotinus: Chrysothamnus has flower heads 5-10mm; Cuniculotinus has notably larger heads 10-17.5mm.
Frequently asked questions
Is Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus subsp. puberulus native to California?
Yes. Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus subsp. puberulus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus subsp. puberulus bloom?
Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus subsp. puberulus blooms Jul-Oct.
What plant family does Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus subsp. puberulus belong to?
Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus subsp. puberulus is in the Asteraceae family, genus Chrysothamnus.
What habitat does Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus subsp. puberulus grow in?
Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus subsp. puberulus grows in Sagebrush scrub, pinyon/juniper woodland, subalpine slopes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus subsp. viscidiflorus
- Chrysothamnus depressus — Long flowered rabbitbrush
- Chrysothamnus greenei — Greene's rabbitbrush
- Chrysothamnus humilis — Truckee rabbitbrush
- Chrysothamnus sp. — Rabbitbrush
- Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus — Yellow rabbitbrush
- Cichorium intybus — Chicory
- Cichorium sp. — Chicory
- Cirsium andersonii — Anderson's thistle
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.