Plant Name
Scientific Name: Baccharis salicifolia
Synonyms: Baccharis viminea, B. glutinosa
Common Names: Mule-fat, Mule's Fat, Seep-willow, Seepwillow
Plant Characteristics
Duration: Perennial, Evergreen
Growth Habit: Shrub
Arizona Native Status: Native
Habitat: Riparian. It grows in desert or upland washes and streams and is usually found in wetlands (~ 67%-99% of the time).
Flower Color: Creamy white disks
Flowering Season: Spring, Summer, Fall
Height: To 10 feet (3 m) tall, but usually less
Description: These plants are dioecious and have rayless flowers. The seeds are fluffy with a feathery, white pappus. The leaves are sticky, dark green, lanceolate in shape, variably toothed, and up to 6 inches (15 cm) long. Despite some of its common names, this plant is not a true willow, but it does somewhat resemble one.
Special Characteristics
Allergenic – The pollen is possibly an allergen.
Butterfly Plant – The flowers attract butterflies, especially Queen (Danaus gilippus) butterflies. This plant is a good addition to butterfly gardens (if you are not allergic to it), and plants may be available from native plant nurseries.
Classification
Kingdom: Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision: Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass: Asteridae
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae – Aster family
Genus: Baccharis L. – baccharis
Species: Baccharis salicifolia (Ruiz & Pav.) Pers. – mule-fat
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