Mule's Fat
Baccharis viminea

Family: Asteraceae or Compositae

What it is like

Baccharis viminea is an evergreen Shrub growing to 4 m (13ft 1in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 8. It is in flower from May to July. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.

Height (m): 4

Where it is found

Dry stream beds, ditch banks etc, usually below 450 metres.

South-western N. America - California to Mexico.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 1

Young shoots - cooked. Roasted and eaten as a famine food when little else is available.

Medicine

Rating: 1

A decoction of the leaves and stems has been used as a female hygienic agent. An infusion of the leaves has been used as an eyewash and has also been applied to bruises, wounds or insect stings.

Ophthalmic: Treats eye complaints.

Skin: Plants used in miscellaneous treatments for the skin.

Stings: Used in the treatment of stings and insect bites.

Other

Rating: 3

An effective ground-cover plant for sunny banks. The plant has an extensive root system and is very useful for stabilizing sand dunes etc. The leaves have been used as a tonic wash for the scalp and hair to prevent baldness. A charcoal made from the stems has been used to make gunpowder.

Hair: Plants used as hair shampoos, tonics, to treat balding etc.

Soil stabilization: Plants that can be grown in places such as sand dunes in order to prevent erosion by wind, water or other agents.

Ground cover: Ground Cover

How it is grown

Succeeds in almost any soil, from heavy clays to pure sands, if it is growing in a sunny position. Very tolerant of poor dry soils. This species is not hardy in the colder areas of the country, it requires an almost frost-free climate and tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c. Plants respond well to trimming. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.

Propagating it: Seed - no pre-treatment is required. Surface sow in pots a cold frame in the spring, do not let the compost dry out. Germination usually takes place within 1 - 2 weeks. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the cold frame for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame. Very easy. Cuttings of mature wood of the current seasons growth, November in a frame. Easy.

Best place to grow: Ground Cover;

Habit: Shrub

Hardiness: 7-10

Growth:

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Dry, moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

B. glutinosa. B. salicifolia. (Ruiz.&Pavon.)Pers.