Description
A short-lived, perennial, native, warm season shrub that grows from 8 to 28 tall. The clusters of small golden-yellow flowers bloom August to October, which may remain well into the fall. The seed is brown, hairy and with chaffy scales. Beacuse it contains saponin, it is poisonous to all livestock except goats. Used for reclamation and mines as it absorbs selenium. Prefers clay loams of broad alluvial slopes, and shallow, rocky, or sandy soil and does poor saline or alkaline soils. It is drought tolerant and reproduces from seeds. Found west of the Mississippi river and almost to the Pacific coast.