Rubber rabbitbrush

Discuss this plant with the guide — choose this profile as a possible match and prepare your observations for Colorado Plants & Practical Care.

Ericameria nauseosa

Native Colorado plant · not on state Lists A/B/C. C-floristic-2020 CO-rules-2025

A native low-water shrub that can spread readily. Exposure help.

Identification caveat: Ericameria nauseosa was formerly Chrysothamnus nauseosus. A manufacturer entry for Chrysothamnus spp. is only partly represented by this profile; other rabbitbrush species remain separate research candidates.

Still researching this plant

This is a sourced working profile. Evidence is incomplete for People, Dogs & cats. Identification and source-photo limits are explained below. Independent botanical and veterinary review is pending. Uncertainty is not a finding that the plant is safe.

Three views of this plant

Source-identified reference photographs; these are not a complete identification key. A source location outside Colorado does not establish local occurrence.

**habit** — Rubber rabbitbrush shrub with yellow flowering tips and pale branching stems in grassland.
Ian Adams · CC BY 4.0
Photo source and identification
Original record · Original image
Explicit iNaturalist observation taxon and Research Grade community identification; photograph visually reviewed for depicted features. This is source identification, not a new independent botanical determination. Source identifies this plant to species; no variety or subspecies determination is asserted.
Downloaded iNaturalist large rendition; downloaded bytes retained unchanged. No local crop, retouching, or generative editing. Gallery display preserves the full image; catalog preview may use a CSS crop.

**flowers** — Close view of yellow tubular rubber rabbitbrush florets and the narrow green bracts surrounding the heads, against a black background.
Douglas Goldman · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo source and identification
Original record · Original image
Explicit iNaturalist observation taxon and Research Grade community identification; photograph visually reviewed for depicted features. This is source identification, not a new independent botanical determination. Source identifies this plant to species; no variety or subspecies determination is asserted.
Downloaded iNaturalist large rendition; downloaded bytes retained unchanged. No local crop, retouching, or generative editing. Gallery display preserves the full image; catalog preview may use a CSS crop.

**leaves-stem** — Narrow rubber rabbitbrush leaves attached to a pale gray-green stem, photographed against a black background.
Douglas Goldman · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo source and identification
Original record · Original image
Explicit iNaturalist observation taxon and Research Grade community identification; photograph visually reviewed for depicted features. This is source identification, not a new independent botanical determination. Source identifies this plant to species; no variety or subspecies determination is asserted.
Downloaded iNaturalist large rendition; downloaded bytes retained unchanged. No local crop, retouching, or generative editing. Gallery display preserves the full image; catalog preview may use a CSS crop.

Identification

A rounded shrub with narrow aromatic leaves, green to silvery stems and clusters of yellow flowers late in the season. Size and appearance vary among varieties. C-native-shrubs

People

The reviewed sources do not establish species-specific ingestion effects or a safe exposure amount for people. Missing evidence does not establish safety.

Dogs & cats

The reviewed sources do not establish species-specific ingestion effects or a safe exposure amount for dogs or cats. Missing evidence does not establish safety.

Other animals

Wildlife browse it, especially seasonally. An older Forest Service synthesis also reports slight livestock toxicity; it does not provide pet-specific evidence or a validated safe ration. F-ericameria

Evidence scope: Older range synthesis; clinical details limited.

Plants & habitat

CSU recommends it for native landscapes and notes that it can be aggressive. Late flowers attract butterflies; unwanted seedlings are a local garden-management issue. C-native-shrubs

Management & timing

Allow space for the mature shrub and watch for seedlings. Assess established native stands in their habitat context before removal. C-native-shrubs F-ericameria

Evidence scope: Landscape management synthesis.

Before taking action

Confirm identification and the requirements of your county weed program. For chemical treatment, follow the current product label, including restrictions around animals and water. S27

References

C-floristic-2020 — Colorado Floristic Quality Assessment: 2020 Update, Colorado Natural Heritage Program, Colorado State University. Accessed 2026-09-07T02:27:33+00:00. Locator: Appendix B, Colorado species list: scientific name and native/non-native fields.
CO-rules-2025 — Colorado Noxious Weed Act rules, 8 CCR 1206-2, Colorado Secretary of State / Department of Agriculture. Accessed 2026-09-07T01:07:48+00:00. Locator: Parts 3.1, 4.1, 5.1; management provisions; effective May 15, 2025.
C-native-shrubs — Native shrubs for Colorado landscapes, Colorado State University Extension. Accessed 2026-09-07T02:33:44+00:00. Locator: Named species descriptions and landscape context; sagebrush subspecies distinctions.
F-ericameria — Rubber rabbitbrush, USDA Forest Service, Fire Effects Information System. Accessed 2026-09-07T02:24:48+00:00. Locator: Taxonomy, distribution, botanical description, wildlife/livestock values and management.
S27 — 2103 – Colorado Noxious Weeds, PlantTalk Colorado · CSU Extension. Accessed 2026-09-07T00:23:57+00:00. Locator: List A, B and C management categories.

Content revised 2026-09-07 02:46:00Z · Source checks dated separately in the references.