Description

Buck brush is one of the most widespread plants of the California Floristic Province. It inhabits a variety of plant communities from Oregon into northwestern Baja. In Santa Clara County it was once common in the lower foothills and perhaps also on the valley floor. Today it is most often found in mountainous habitats with ample sun. Its growth form can vary from low-growing and sprawling to large and rounded. My plants tend to grow into rounded shrubs of about five feet. The leaves are rounded with slightly toothed margins and quite leathery. The spring blooms are white and unusually fragrant, attracting a variety of local pollinators. Buck brush thrives in well-draining soils and sunny locations. Once planted, this is a good candidate for a naturalizing, i.e. no supplemental water after the plant is established.