Sunflower Bushes and Moral Dilemmas

There are about 15 species in the Encelia genus. They are deciduous shrubs and perennials found where the landscape is dry. They range from the S.W. United States into Mexico, Peru, Chili, and the Galapagos Islands. The generic Encelia is in honor of a Lutheran clergyman, Christoph Entzelt, who Latinized his name to Encelius. During the mid-1550s he wrote a book about the medicinal uses of plants, minerals and animal parts.

Known as Nahekwi by the Southern Diegueno Indians, which means 'it watches the sun', Bush Sunflowers are marvelous plants, growing in marvelous colonies, challenging the sun for vibrant yellow supremacy. I'm surprised I don't see it in landscaping, like Giant Coreopsis. After all, it isn't a high maintenance garden froufrou, and it makes a showy hedge.

Its cousin, Brittlebrush, splashing bright yellow across the dusty gray desert, can be found in washes and on dry slopes from southwestern Utah down through western Arizona, southern Nevada and southeastern California. Its flower heads blossom in loosely-branched clusters standing well above the silvery-gray foliage.

The flowers have 8 to 18 ray flowers surrounding a center of bright yellow disk flowers. In the southern part of its range, the disk flowers are brownish. The leaves are ovate and hairy, and the entire bush, which has a more compact mound look, grows to 5'. The hairs provide insulation, which helps reduce water loss. In extreme drought, Brittlebrush loses its leaves to prevent water loss, or the leaves are greatly reduced in size. Its blooming season is the same as that of Bush Sunflowers, but in frost-free areas can bloom from autumn onward.

The stems, which are easily broken, exude a fragrant resin or gum which was chewed by Native Americans, as well as burned as incense in missions in Baja California. For this reason, it is also known as Incienso.

Brittlebrush and Bush Sunflowers are each outrageous explosions of sunshine at a time when most of North America is covered in clouds and wiping runny noses. It's just not right.

Southern California in the middle of the winter takes a little getting used to. With all the sunshine, blue skies, and Bush Sunflowers it is sinfully pleasurable, and creates a kind of moral dilemma. But that's the kind of a moral dilemma I can live with.

"Sunflower Bushes and Moral Dilemmas" © 2003 Gregg M. Pasterick - All Rights Reserved.

All Photographs © Gregg M. Pasterick - All Rights Reserved.

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