Shrub
Rubber Rabbitbrush
Ericameria nauseosa
Electric gold in fall over silver foliage — one of the last big nectar sources of the year.
- Pollinator
- Native
- Deer-resistant
Quick facts
- Hardiness
- USDA zones 4–9
- Water
- Very low once established
- Sun
- Full sun
- Size
- 2–5 ft tall × 2–4 ft wide
- Bloom & interest
- Brilliant golden flower clusters in late summer and fall over silver-green stems
- Plant type
- Shrub
- Native range
- Native throughout the interior West (Great Basin, Rockies, Colorado Plateau, high plains)
Why we recommend it
Its silver foliage and blaze of golden fall flowers provide critical late-season nectar for butterflies and bees when little else blooms in the arid West. Plant Select's compact 'Baby Blue' is a tidy selection for small yards.
Best regions: Front RangeGreat BasinHigh DesertSouthwest
How to grow it
Watering to establish
Water every 1–2 weeks the first summer; then none. Overwatering makes it leggy and short-lived.
Pruning
Cut back hard (to 6–12 in.) in early spring every year or two to keep it dense and rounded.
Soil
Lean, well-drained soil, including alkaline and sandy. No amendments or fertilizer.
Pairs well with
Read more
Where to buy
Shop Rubber Rabbitbrush from trusted growers. For the best selection of xeric plants, try a mail-order specialist or ask a local independent nursery.
- High Country Gardens (opens in a new tab)Xeric specialist
- Nature Hills Nursery (opens in a new tab)Wide selection
- American Meadows (opens in a new tab)Perennials & seeds
- Etsy (opens in a new tab)Small growers
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