Encelia californica aka California Brittlebush

Encelia californica is a small shrub in the daisy family. This family has the name Asteraceae. The shrub grows wild in California and Baja California Norte, Mexico. Kew places it in a subtropical climate zone. Its low, round form gives it the shape of a mound. Virginia Tech says it reaches 3 feet [0.91 metres] tall. It grows just as wide as it does tall. This gives it a broad shape, not a tall, narrow one.

The gray bark has shallow grooves, or furrows, along its surface. The twigs are light reddish-gray and have no hairs. They have only a small amount of woody growth. Many shrubs have stems that are more solid and woody. Leaves grow in turns along the twigs, not in pairs. Each leaf is simple, with just one whole blade. It does not split into small leaflets. Both sides of each leaf are green.

The leaves range from a broad egg shape to a diamond shape. Each blade is about 0.17–0.25 feet [0.05–0.08 metres] long. The edges may be smooth or have a few shallow teeth. These teeth sit apart, rather than in a dense row. Virginia Tech calls the leaves evergreen but also drought deciduous. This means the shrub can keep its leaves through the year. Yet it can shed them when drought comes. Its leaf cover can thus change as growing conditions change.

Bright yellow flower heads grow at the tips of twigs. Each head has the shape of a daisy. The heads are about 0.08–0.17 feet [0.025–0.05 metres] across. The shrub blooms in spring, but rain can bring flowers too. It does not bloom in spring alone. The yellow heads stand at the ends of leafy growth. Their bright color stands out from the green leaves. It also stands out from the pale, reddish-gray twigs.

The fruit forms a cluster of small achenes. These are dry fruits, each separate within the shared fruiting head. The flowers, leaves, and round form help describe this species. Its blooms sit on a low shrub, not a tree. The source gives it the same height and spread. Its look can change with the season. Rain can bring blooms, while drought can cause leaf loss.