Shrubby brickellbush facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Shrubby brickellbush
photo of herbarium specimen collected in Arizona
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Asterales
Family:	Asteraceae
Subfamily:	Asteroideae
Tribe:	Eupatorieae
Genus:	Brickellia
Species:	B. frutescens
Binomial name
Brickellia frutescens
Synonyms
Coleosanthus fructescens (A.Gray) Kuntze

The shrubby brickellbush (scientific name: Brickellia frutescens) is a cool flowering plant that grows in North America. It's part of the daisy family, just like sunflowers and dandelions! You can find this plant living in the hot, dry desert areas of places like Arizona, southern Nevada, southern California, and Baja California in Mexico.

This plant is a type of shrub, which means it's a bit like a small, bushy tree. It usually grows to be about 60 centimeters (or 2 feet) tall. The shrubby brickellbush has lots of branches and produces many small, pretty purple flowers.

What is Shrubby Brickellbush?

The shrubby brickellbush is known by its scientific name, Brickellia frutescens. This name helps scientists around the world know exactly which plant they are talking about. The word "frutescens" in its name means "shrubby" or "bushy," which perfectly describes how this plant looks.

Where Does it Grow?

This plant loves warm, dry places. It is native to the desert regions of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. You can find it thriving in:

• Arizona
• Southern Nevada
• Southern California
• Baja California (a state in Mexico)

It's well-suited to living in these dry environments, often found in rocky areas or canyons.

What Does it Look Like?

The shrubby brickellbush is a small to medium-sized shrub. It usually grows to about 60 centimeters (about 2 feet) tall, which is roughly the height of a small dog.

• Branches: It has many branches, giving it a bushy shape.
• Flowers: The plant produces many small flower heads. These flowers are often a lovely shade of purple. They might not be as big as a sunflower, but they add a splash of color to the desert landscape.

Plant Family: The Daisies

The shrubby brickellbush belongs to the daisy family. This is one of the largest families of flowering plants in the world!

Characteristics of the Daisy Family

Plants in the daisy family, like the shrubby brickellbush, often have special flower heads. What looks like one big flower is actually many tiny flowers grouped together.

• Tiny Flowers: Each "flower" on the shrubby brickellbush is actually a cluster of many small individual flowers.
• Adaptability: Many plants in this family are very good at adapting to different environments, including deserts.

Images for kids

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  photo of herbarium specimen collected in Arizona