Virginia Tech Dendrology

California brittlebrush Asteraceae Encelia californica Nutt. symbol: ENCA
Leaf: Alternate, simple, evergreen (drought deciduous), broadly ovate to diamond shaped, 2 to 3 inches long, entire margins or with a few shallow scatered teeth, green above and below.
Flower: Very attractive, bright yellow daisy-like flowers, each 1 to 2 inches across, appearing at the ends of twigs in the spring or after rains.
Fruit: A composite of small achenes.
Twig: Barely woody, light reddish gray, hairless.
Bark: Gray and shallowly furrowed.
Form: Small mounding shrub up to 3 feet tall and equally as wide.
Looks like: brittlebush

Additional Range Information: Encelia californica is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. Download the full-size PDF map.
External Links: USDA Plants Database
All material © 2021 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information