Common Name: Rubber Rabbitbrush

General Information

Ericameria nauseosa is an evergreen shrub with a rounded crown; branching from the base; it can grow around 30 - 240cm tall.
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials. A natural rubber can be obtained from the plant, and it is also a rich source of oils and resin. There is potential to breed for improved yields and there are trials with commercial production[]. The attractive, late-blooming flowers, silvery-green foliage, and drought tolerance of rubber rabbitbrush make it a desirable plant for low maintenance and sustainable landscaping[].

Known Hazards

Although it is often seen as an important browse species on depleted land within its native range, this species has also occasionally been reported as being toxic to livestock[].

Botanical References

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Range

Western and central N. America - British Columbia to Saskatchewan, south to northwest Mexico and Texas

Habitat

Dry sandy, gravelly, or heavy clayey and alkali soils in open places in sagebrush, juniper-pinyon and ponderosa-pine zones at low elevations and occasionally found at higher elevations[, ].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	2.00 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Rubber rabbitbrush is adapted to cold, dry environments receiving 175 - 450mm of annual precipitation, at elevations ranging from 140 - 2,400 metres.
Requires a sunny position and prefers a well-drained sandy soil, succeeding on poor soils[, ]. This species is very variable and, depending on the ecotype, it succeeds on a wide range of soils including loamy, sandy, gravelly or heavy clays, that can be slightly acidic, slight to strongly basic, or saline[]. Some ecotypes have a great deal of plasticity, allowing them to establish in a variety of habitats[].
The plant can be cut back after autumn flowering to prevent
seed dispersal and to retain its compact, rounded shape[].
The species is taxonomically complex, and is divided into many different varieties (ecotypes). The species has been viewed as two informal groups, the "green forms" and the "gray forms." These two groups were formalized as subspp. nauseosa and consimilis (consimilis is now treated as a synonym of oreophila) by G. L. Nesom and G. I. Baird (1993), each containing a number of varieties. It is currently (2023) being treated as a species with 24 varieties (ecotypes). These varieties exhibit a great deal of variability in morphological characteristics and chemical composition[]. In particular, the vars graveolens; hololeuca, oreophila and speciosa (under the synonym var albicaulis) have been mentioned[]. In trials, the plant previously known as Chrysothamnus nauseosus var. viridulus H.M.Hall, but now treated as only a synonym of Chrysothamnus nauseosus, was reported as having the highest recorded levels of rubber and resin in the genus[]
The var Ericameria nauseosa var. oreophila, is characteristic of sites with highly saline soils[].
Ericameria nauseosa is reported to hybridize with several other species in the genus, and hybrid and formula names have been applied to them[].

Edible Uses

A gum obtained from the root is used for chewing[, , , ].

Medicinal

A decoction of the twigs has been used in the treatment of toothaches, coughs and chest pains[].

An infusion of the flowering stems has been used in the treatment of colds and TB[].

An infusion of the leaves and stems has been used to treat colds, diarrhoea, stomach cramps etc[]. It has also been used externally as a wash for sores and skin eruptions, especially smallpox[].

The plant shows slight bactericidal activity[].
In small doses, the extracts lowered the blood pressure briefly in rabbits. In large doses, the fall in blood pressure was pronounced, accompanied by circulatory and respiratory failure[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant is deep rooted, produces a heavy litter, and has the potential to stabilize soils, moderate soil temperature and moisture, as well as add aesthetic value to degraded land[]
It grows rapidly and produces abundant seed in the wild. It can be used to stabilize roadsides and other critical areas[].
The plant thrives on poor soils and so, when present in abundance, is an indication that the land is poor, has been allowed to erode, has been overgrazed or in other ways neglected[].
It is able to grow on a variety of substrates, including sand, shale, slickrock and other unusual substrate types, and is an ideal plant for mine reclamation[].
Rubber rabbitbrush attracts a wide array of native insects, including butterflies and small bees. It is one the few native plant species in the Intermountain
Wes that provides habitat for pollinators during the late summer and autumn months[].
The growing plant repels insects[].

Other Uses

The plant is a source of latex, used in making rubber[, , ]. There is no commercially viable method of extracting it as yet[]. This species has been identified as one of the more promising species from western N. America for the production of biocrude (hydrocarbon and hydrocarbon-like chemical fraction of plants which may be extracted by organic solvents and upgraded to liquid fuels and chemical feedstocks). Finding the cyclohexane extract to be 15.1%, the ethanol extract 20.8%, McLaughlin and Hoffmann (1982) calculated 13.2 kBTU/lb. in the extractables, a biomass yield of ca 4.5 MT/ha or 12.5 bbls, at a per barrel cost of $50.00 or $13.10/million BTU[].

The Hopi stripped the bark from the branches of rubber rabbitbrush and used the branches for basket weaving[].

The leaves have been used as a sanitary towel, especially after childbirth[].

A green dye is obtained from the bark[].
A yellow-gold dye is obtained from the flowers[, , ].

The cottony fruiting heads are used as a stuffing material for pillows etc[].

Propagation

Seed - has a germination rate of around 65% and a viability of 3 or more years in storage. A period of cold stratification is not necessary, but can speed germinatio. Sow in sun or light shade and only just cover the small seed[]. Well-rooted plants can be obtained in one growing season[]. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, mid summer in sand in a frame[].