Centennial desert broom

Baccharis x ‘Centennial’

Description

Centennial desert broom is a hybrid cultivar between B. pilularis and the desert species B. sarothroides. It grows into a dense mounding to spreading shrub, 4-5 ft. high and 4-6 ft. across. Tiny green leaves to 1/8 in. wide have distinctly toothed margins; new growth is bright green, mature growth is darker.
The Centennial desert broom has proven to be a durable evergreen shrub throughout the Inland Empire and is a useful clipped hedge and slope plant for both commercial and residential landscapes. Plants produce abundant flowers and seed for birds and pollinator insects.

Plant Type: Shrub
Foliage Character: Evergreen
Habit: Spreading, Mounding, Dense
Growth Rate: Moderate
Foliage Color: Medium green
Soil Adaptations: Well-draining soil, Clay
Exposure Adaptations: Heat, Aridity, All day sun
Function: Attracts butterflies, Wildlife value, Parks and open space, Foliage accent plant, Banks
Height: 2 ft. – 3 ft.
Width: 4 ft. – 6 ft.

The Centennial desert broom is well adapted to hot microclimate locations in the Inland Empire where it thrives in sun and with normal winter rainfall and low amounts of summer water. Monthly deep watering from spring through fall will help maintain good foliage character during the dry season. It should be noted there are several months marked by an asterisk (*) when winter rains can provide sufficient moisture and irrigation is not needed. The high and low range of moisture indicates it can grow with varying amounts of water depending upon exposure conditions and size.

Low Water Use Plants – Irrigation Schedule 1

	Jan*	Feb*	Mar*	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov*	Dec*
Runs per Month	0x to 2x	0x to 2x	0x to 2x	1x	1x	1x	1x	1x	1x	1x	0x to 2x	0x to 2x
Inches per Run	1″	1″	1″	1″	1″	1″	1″	1″	1″	1″	1″	1″

Inches per Month	0″ to 2″	0″ to 2″	0″ to 2″	1″	1″	1″	1″	1″	1″	1″	0″ to 2″	0″ to 2″

Range of supplemental summer water: 7"
Range of supplemental winter water: 0"-10"

0″-2″

1″

0″-2″

Jan*

Feb*

Mar*

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov*

Dec*

For more information on how to use this Irrigation Schedule and Graph, follow this link.

For information how to calculate your irrigation system’s schedule and precipitation rate, please follow this link.

Prune by heading back as much of the new-ish growth as desired in May or cut back as needed mid-winter (January – February) prior to spring growth (1). Every number of years, if looking like it needs to be reinvigorated, Baccharis can be “coppiced” by cutting all the way to the ground to promote new shoots and full regrowth (2). Coyote brush is adaptable to pruning. It can be cut back or sheared like a hedge to promote a denser plant. With some work most Baccharis pilularis or pilularis hybrids can be maintained as a formal hedge (3). This is probably the best small Baccharis to use as a small formal hedge in most of Southern California (S). References

Centennial desert broom

Description

Low Water Use Plants – Irrigation Schedule 1

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Centennial desert broom

Description

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