Ericameria teretifolia
Green or round-leaf rabbitbrush, Round-Leaf Rabbitbrush
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Family: Asteraceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Ericameria teretifolia (Green or round-leaf rabbitbrush) is a native California shrub in the Asteraceae family, recognized by cylindrical leaves and glandular phyllary tips distinctive.
Green rabbitbrush is a California native shrub found in the Tehachapi Mountains, Transverse Ranges, eastern Peninsular Ranges, southeastern Sierra Nevada, and Mojave Desert in rocky flats and slopes at elevations of 600 to 2,400 meters. Flowering from September to November, this plant produces yellow flowers in dense clusters about 5 to 9.5 millimeters long. Growing with much-branched, brittle green stems 20 to 150 centimeters tall that are gland-dotted, it forms a distinctive compact shape. Its narrow, thread-like leaves are approximately cylindrical, dark green, and resinous, measuring 10 to 35 millimeters long. The fruits are small, hairy, and 3 to 5 millimeters in length, topped with a brownish pappus.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 33 sympatric species; cylindrical leaves and glandular phyllary tips distinctive
Habitat and range
Habitat: Rocky flats, slopes
Elevation: 600-2400 m
California counties: Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Inyo, Kern, Mono, Riverside, San Diego
Outside California: southern Nevada, northwestern Arizona
Bloom period
Ericameria teretifolia blooms Sep-Nov.
How to tell it apart
vs Isocoma: Ericameria has bracts in 5 vertical rows; Isocoma has randomly arranged bracts.; vs Chrysothamnus: Ericameria has woolly young stems and deep pitted glands; Chrysothamnus has smooth/slightly fuzzy stems and surface glands or none.; vs Baccharis: Ericameria has yellow bisexual flowers in each head; Baccharis has separate male/female plants with whitish flowers.; vs Artemisia: Ericameria has yellow flowers and gland-dotted leaves; Artemisia has greenish flowers and aromatic gray-hairy leaves.; vs Lepidospartum: Ericameria has small narrow leaves; Lepidospartum has scale-like leaves on green rush-like stems.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ericameria teretifolia native to California?
Yes. Ericameria teretifolia is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Ericameria teretifolia bloom?
Ericameria teretifolia blooms Sep-Nov.
Where in California does Ericameria teretifolia grow?
Ericameria teretifolia occurs in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Inyo, Kern, Mono, Riverside, San Diego, at elevations of 600-2400 m.
What plant family does Ericameria teretifolia belong to?
Ericameria teretifolia is in the Asteraceae family, genus Ericameria.
What habitat does Ericameria teretifolia grow in?
Ericameria teretifolia grows in Rocky flats, slopes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Ericameria albida — White-flowered rabbitbrush
- Ericameria arborescens — Golden-fleece
- Ericameria bloomeri — Bloomer's goldenbush
- Ericameria brachylepis — Boundary goldenbush
- Ericameria cooperi var. cooperi — Cooper's goldenbush
- Ericameria cuneata — Wedgeleaf goldenbush
- Erigeron aequifolius — Hall's daisy
- Erigeron algidus — Sierra fleabane
- Erigeron aliceae — Alice eastwood's fleabane
- Erigeron annuus — Annual fleabane
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.