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mule fat Asteraceae Baccharis salicifolia (Ruiz & Pav.) Pers. Listen to the Latin Print a QR link to this factsheet symbol: BASA4
Leaf: Alternate, simple, evergreen, lanceolate, 3 to 5 inches long, widely spaced fine teeth, maybe sticky, shiny green above, paler below.
Flower: Species is dioecious; white, 1/2 inch across, displayed in open terminal flower heads or tighter clusters from axils, appear nearly year round.
Fruit: A small achene tipped with long feathery white bristles (dandelion like), often in great abundance.
Twig: Very pithy, light brown to golden brown, sticky green when young. Leaf scars are narrow and raised.
Bark: Grayish brown shallowly ridged with reddish furrows.
Form: An up to 8 foot tall, suckering, thicket forming shrub, generally graceful.
 Looks like: arrow-weed - sandbar willow - coyotebrush

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Additional Range Information: Baccharis salicifolia is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. Download the full-size PDF map.
External Links: USDA Plants Database
All material 2025 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