Chamise, San Diego Chamise

Adenostoma fasciculatum is native to chapparal communities in California, Baja California, and parts of Nevada. Leaves contain oils that ...Read Moreare highly flammable, but plants regenerate quickly from the roots after a fire. The small, oily, needle-like leaves are resistant to deer. Shrubs usually occur in dense stands and are usually dominant where they occur. There are two varieties, Adenostoma fasciculatum var. fasciculatum occurs throughout the plant's range in California, Baja California, and Nevada, while Adenostoma fascuculatum var. obtusifolium occurs almost exclusively in San Diego Count, CA, and can also be found in nearby portions of Baja California, Mexico. The two varieties appear very similar, but can be differentiated in that A. fasciculatum var. fasciculatum has needle-like leaves that end with a sharp apex, while A. fasciculatum var. obtusifolium also has needle-like leaves, but they are generally smaller and end with a blunt apex, and new shoots are slightly tomentose.