In a Nutshell:
* Ericameria nauseosa (formerly Chrysothamnus nauseosus), commonly known as Chamisa, rubber rabbitbrush, and gray rabbitbrush, is a shrub of the genus Ericameria that grows in the arid regions of western North America.
* Ericameria nauseosa is a shrubby, 12- to 90-inch (30–230 cm) perennial, producing pungent-smelling, golden-yellow flowers in late summer and early fall.
* Both the flexible (rubbery) stems and the leaves are greenish-gray with a soft felt-like covering.
* Rabbitbrush, Ericameria nauseosa, has gained popularity as an ornamental xeriscaping shrub in areas where water conservation is important. It thrives in a wide range of coarse, alkaline soils that are common to desert environments.
* Along with associated species, like big sage and western wheat grass, rubber rabbitbrush is a significant source of food for browsing wildlife on winter ranges.
* The Zuni people use the blossoms of the bigelovii variety of the nauseosa subspecies to make a yellow dye. They use the stems to make baskets.
* One possible commercial use of rubber rabbitbrush would be as a source for hypoallergenic rubber for use in products designed for people with latex allergies. more...