Buckbrush

Buckbrush is a tough, evergreen shrub native to dry slopes, chaparral, and open woodlands of California and southern Oregon. It typically grows 3–12 feet tall with dense, rounded branching and small, wedge-shaped, leathery leaves. In early spring, it produces abundant clusters of tiny, sweet-smelling white to pale lavender flowers that are highly attractive to moths, bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. Ecologically, buckbrush is an important nitrogen-fixer, enriching poor soils, stabilizing slopes, and providing critical forage and cover for wildlife in fire-adapted ecosystems. Its drought tolerance and role in supporting biodiversity make it a key species in chaparral and foothill plant communities, as well as a great addition to hedgerows and fencerows.