Brittlebush, Inceinso, Goldenhills                en-SEE-lee-uh far-ih-NOH-suh

• Perennial drought-deciduous shrub, to 3-5 ft (0.9-1.5 m) tall, woody base, much branched rounded form; stems brittle and covered with fine white hairs, fragrant.  Leaves alternate, simple, crowded at the ends of stems, gray-green, oblong, lanceolate, 2-8 cm long, covered with fine gray or white hairs.  Flowers are yellow, sometimes purple-brown, daisy-like, 3-4 cm wide, in open clusters at the ends of stems and above the leaves.
• Sun, needs light, well-drained soil.  More or less estricted to climates with long periods of limited moisture.
• Hardy to USDA Zone 7   Native to Arizona, Nevada, southwestern Utah, and the interior valleys of coastal southern California, Baja California and northwestern Mexico.  It is now found in Hawaii, but not native.  In its range, it is a dominant shrub forming extensive monospecific stands.  There are three recognized varieties.
• farinosa: mealy or powdery.
• Brittlebush:  stems are brittle.    Incienso:  resin that exudes from its stems can be burned as incense.