Lakeshore Garden Centres Plant Finder

Other Names:  Rabbit Brush, syn. Ericameria nauseosa

Description:

This shrub produces pungent golden-yellow flowers from mid-summer to early fall; grassy narrow leaves grace an open and airy habit; cut back to several inches in spring to increase ornamental value; tough and drought tolerant

Ornamental Features

Rubber Rabbitbrush is blanketed in stunning clusters of fragrant yellow tubular flowers at the ends of the branches from late summer to early fall. Its grassy leaves remain grayish green in colour with hints of silver throughout the season. The gray stems are very colorful and add to the overall interest of the plant.

Landscape Attributes

Rubber Rabbitbrush is an open multi-stemmed perennial with a mounded form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It is a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Rubber Rabbitbrush is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• General Garden Use
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Rubber Rabbitbrush will grow to be about 6 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 6 feet. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 5 feet apart. Although it is technically a woody plant, this plant can be expected to behave as a perennial in our climate if planted outdoors over the winter, usually regrowing from its base (crown) the following year. As such, gardeners should take into consideration that it will perform differently than it would in its native habitat.

This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is particular about its soil conditions, with a strong preference for sandy, alkaline soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is native to parts of North America. It can be propagated by division.

Rubber Rabbitbrush is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden. Be aware that in our climate, most plants cannot be expected to survive the winter if left in containers outdoors, and this plant is no exception. Contact our experts for more information on how to protect it over the winter months.

This plant is not reliably hardy in our region, and certain restrictions may apply; contact the store for more information.