Coyote bush is a common shrub in chaparral habitats, perfectly evolved to survive in dry landscapes. It’s an important late season pollinator plant, blooming in the fall long after other flowers have disappeared. It’s also unusual in that is dioecious, meaning it has separate male and female plants. The female flowers are white, fluffy and full of seeds, while the male flowers are neat and stamen-filled. Coyote Bush is important in erosion control with deep roots that can hold a hillside.
Coyote bush is easy to grow from cuttings and once established can survive very dry conditions. It prefers sun and good drainage; a rocky hillside is ideal. They are fast growing and without fires to control them they can encroach on grasslands and displace other natives. You can prune coyote bush back in the winter; cut away dead woody branches and never cut more than a than a third of the plant during a pruning session.
Male flowers on a Bernal Hill Coyote Bush.
