brittlebush

American  

[brit-l-boosh] / ˈbrɪt lˌbʊʃ /

noun

1. any of several composite plants of the genus Encelia, of desert regions of the southwestern U.S. and Mexico, having alternate leaves and yellow ray flowers with a yellow or purple center.

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Etymology

Origin of brittlebush

1905–10, brittle + bush ¹, so called from the texture of its leaves

Example Sentences

Cholla gardens and brittlebush rise from pale alluvial slopes, and a seasonal stream leads to one of California’s few native fan palm oases.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

At Anza Borrego Desert State Park, brittlebush and other species of desert shrubs have bloomed, and the colorful Montezuma Grade is expected to appear when there’s more warm weather.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2024

We put down the gear and wandered out among the creosote and brittlebush.

From New York Times • Mar. 24, 2016

Dr. James Frederick Bonner of Caltech has now found out how the brittlebush keeps itself exclusive.

From Time Magazine Archive

About a year ago, Dr. Bonner and his assistant gathered fallen leaves from under a brittlebush, spread them around the stems of potted tomato plants, and sprinkled them with water.

From Time Magazine Archive