Bloomipedia
Brittlebush (Encelia farinosa)
Photo: John Brew via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Brittlebush

Encelia farinosa

Brittlebush (Encelia farinosa) is a shrub in the Asteraceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly January–April across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

Brittlebush is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 3 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in January–April.

5states where USDA records it
3Bloomipedia state lists include it
40,347U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Arizona, California, Nevada

Quick look

Encelia farinosa, is a common desert shrub of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It has a variety of historical uses.

  • It belongs to the Asteraceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub / a subshrub with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 5 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to California, Arizona and Nevada. NatureServe
  • In California, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in January–April. iNaturalist
  • In Arizona, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in January–December. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as yellow. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as winter. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 5 ft. USDA PLANTS
  • iNaturalist has 26,072 research-grade sightings of it in California, ranking #14 among the 178 flowers on our California list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 12,753 research-grade sightings of it in Arizona, ranking #4 among the 132 flowers on our Arizona list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 1,518 research-grade sightings of it in Nevada, ranking #15 among the 132 flowers on our Nevada list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (5,748 records)
Bloom time in the 3 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
CaliforniaNativeJanuary–April26,072
ArizonaNativeJanuary–December12,753
NevadaNativeJanuary–April1,518

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
California
Not listed Not on California state-listed endangered, threatened and rare plants (14 CCR § 670.2), per CDFW's CNDDB list (July 2026). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in California. CNDDB listed plants (July 2026)
Arizona
Not listed Not on Arizona Native Plant Law protected plants (Ariz. Admin. Code R3-3 Art. 11, App. A, eff. Feb. 2, 2025). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Arizona. AAC R3-3 App. A
Nevada
Not listed Not on Nevada fully protected plants, critically endangered (NAC 527.010). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Nevada. NAC 527.010
Rare elsewhere
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: UT (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records brittlebush in 5 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Utah.

California counties with USDA records: Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Tulare.

Arizona counties with USDA records: Coconino, Gila, Graham, Greenlee, La Paz, Maricopa, Mohave, Pima, Pinal, Yuma.

Nevada counties with USDA records: Clark, Lincoln, Nye.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives Brittlebush a high shade tolerance, high drought tolerance and low moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 7.0 to 8.5 and winter lows down to 27 °F.

Shade tolerance
High
Drought tolerance
High
Moisture use
Low
Soil textures it is adapted to
coarse, medium, fine
Soil pH range
7.0 to 8.5
Minimum temperature tolerated
27 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum)
365
Annual precipitation range
5 to 10 inches
Minimum root depth
12 inches
Salinity tolerance
None
Fertility requirement
Low
Growth rate
Rapid
Lifespan
Short
Active growth period
Fall, Winter and Spring
Fruit or seed
Black · Summer to Summer
Can be propagated by
bare root, container, seed
Commercial availability
Contracting Only

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for ENFA. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Hawaii: Introduced; Lower 48 states: Native.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 24 counties across 4 states; the most are in Arizona (10), California (10), Nevada (3).

Other Encelia on Bloomipedia (2): California brittlebush, Virgin river brittlebush.

More from the Asteraceae family (212 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Common yarrow, Goldenrods, White snakeroot, Sunflowers, Chicory, Black-eyed Susan, Bull thistle, Common dandelion.

More California flowers

Common yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Common yarrow

Achillea millefolium

Native

🌼 Blooms in CA: April–July
California brittlebush (Encelia californica)

California brittlebush

Encelia californica

Native

🌼 Blooms in CA: January–April
Golden yarrow (Eriophyllum confertiflorum)

Golden yarrow

Eriophyllum confertiflorum

Native

🌼 Blooms in CA: April–June

Sources