Herb latin name: Baccharis patagonica


Family: Compositae



Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Shrub

Height:
3 m
(9 3/4 foot)

Flowering:
May


Scent:
Scented
Shrub

Habitat of Baccharis patagonica:

Rock crevices, forest margins and coastal sands.

Other uses of the herb:

A very good hedge for exposed maritime conditions. It is exceedingly tolerant of maritime exposure and amenable to clipping, though it is rather slow growing. Plants tend to be as wide or wider than they are tall and produce a very dense weed-excluding cover. Plants have an extensive root system and can be grown on sand or thin coastal soils in order to bind the soil. Resinous secretions on the leaves and wood make this a useful fuel. It is a fairly small plant though and would not be a very productive source.

Propagation of Baccharis patagonica:

Seed - no pre-treatment is required. Surface sow in pots a cold frame in the spring, do not let the compost dry out. Germination usually takes place within 1 - 2 weeks. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the cold frame for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame. Very easy. Cuttings of mature wood of the current seasons growth, November in a frame. Easy.

Cultivation of the herb:

Rock crevices, forest margins and coastal sands.

Medicinal use of Baccharis patagonica:

None known

Known hazards of Baccharis patagonica:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.