Herb: Brittle Bush


Latin name: Encelia farinosa


Family: Compositae



Medicinal use of Brittle Bush:

A decoction of the blossoms, leaves and stems has been held in the mouth to alleviate a toothache. A poultice of the plant has been used to alleviate pain.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Deciduous
Shrub

Height:
75 cm
(2 feet)

Flowering:
May

Habitat of the herb:

Dry stony slopes to 1000 metres.

Edible parts of Brittle Bush:

A gum that exudes from the ends of mature stems is used for chewing. It is aromatic.

Other uses of the herb:

A resin that exudes from the ends of mature stems is used as a glue and as an incense in the home and in church. It has also been used to waterproof containers and has been melted then used as a varnish. The resinous branches have been used to make a quick fire.

Propagation of Brittle Bush:

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. Only just cover the seed and pot up the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle. Grow on in a greenhouse for at least their first winter, making sure the pots are deep enough to accommodate the tap root, and plant out in early summer. Cuttings, in pure sand, in a frame. The report does not specify the type of cutting.

Cultivation of the herb:

Dry stony slopes to 1000 metres.

Known hazards of Encelia farinosa:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.