Ericameria laricifolia 'Butterbloom' PP33157

Butterbloom Turpentine Bush

1/0

What is Ericameria laricifolia 'Butterbloom' PP33157?

Ericameria laricifolia 'Butterbloom' (PP33157) is a proprietary cultivar developed by Civano Growers, bred specifically for superior performance in arid Southwestern landscapes. This compact evergreen shrub measures 2-3 feet in both height and width, offering landscape professionals a reliable, low-water alternative for projects requiring golden-yellow seasonal color and pollinator support across USDA zones 7-10.

What are the specifications and growth characteristics?

Mature dimensions: 2-3 feet height × 2-3 feet width
Growth rate: Moderate establishment, reaching mature form within 2-3 years
Form: Compact, mounding architecture with naturally bushy habit
Foliage: Fine-textured, needle-like evergreen foliage providing year-round structural interest

This cultivar's symmetrical growth habit and consistent dimensions simplify spacing calculations for mass plantings and reduce long-term maintenance requirements compared to variable-performing seedling material.

When does Butterbloom Turpentine Bush flower?

The cultivar produces clusters of golden-yellow flowers during its bloom period, creating concentrated visual impact. The flower clusters attract multiple pollinator species including native bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. The moderate growth rate allows designers to achieve establishment timelines that balance project budgets with desired visual maturity, making this selection practical for both quick-impact and phased landscape installations.

What site conditions optimize Ericameria laricifolia 'Butterbloom' performance?

Light exposure: Full sun exposure maximizes flowering density and maintains compact form. Tolerates partial shade with some reduction in bloom production.

Soil requirements: Adapted to well-draining soils typical of California and high-desert ecosystems. Performs successfully in sandy, gravelly, or amended native soils where drainage prevents moisture accumulation.

Water requirements: Drought-tolerant once established, typically after the first growing season. Deep, infrequent irrigation during extended drought periods maintains plant vigor. This low water demand supports water budget compliance and makes the cultivar appropriate for landscapes with irrigation restrictions.

Climate adaptation: Evolved from germplasm native to California and high-desert regions, ensuring natural compatibility with Southwestern climate conditions including temperature extremes and low humidity.
How should landscape professionals maintain this cultivar?

Pruning requirements: Light pruning following bloom period maintains desired form and encourages denser branching structure. Shaping as needed supports design intent without requiring intensive intervention.

Irrigation management: Critical consideration—avoid overwatering. This selection's adaptation to arid conditions means excessive moisture causes root pathology. Design irrigation zones appropriately, separating this species from higher-water-demand plantings.

Maintenance profile: Minimal intervention required beyond occasional shaping. Lower lifecycle maintenance translates to reduced operational costs for property managers and homeowners associations.

What design applications suit Butterbloom Turpentine Bush?

Professional applications for this proprietary cultivar include:

Xeriscape and water-efficient landscapes: Core palette material for projects meeting municipal water conservation mandates

Pollinator habitat corridors: Nectar resources support native bee populations and migratory butterfly species

Mass plantings and sweeps: Uniform growth characteristics create cohesive drifts with predictable visual results

Rock gardens and desert-themed installations: Golden bloom color provides warm contrast against mineral elements and native stone

Mixed perennial borders: Mid-height placement offering seasonal color without competing with taller specimens

Commercial and residential landscapes: Low maintenance requirements reduce management costs while maintaining year-round presence

Erosion control on slopes: Root structure and compact form stabilize soil on berms and gradual inclines

What is the ecological value of this selection?

Beyond ornamental merit, 'Butterbloom' contributes to landscape ecology by providing nectar resources during its flowering period. The fine-textured evergreen foliage offers microhabitat structure for beneficial insects. By incorporating this cultivar into pollinator-focused designs, landscape architects support local ecosystem health and biodiversity objectives aligned with sustainable landscape practices and habitat restoration goals.

Why specify Ericameria laricifolia 'Butterbloom' for landscape projects?

For design professionals evaluating plant material for water-conscious, regionally appropriate landscapes, this proprietary selection offers distinct advantages: consistent performance from vegetatively propagated stock eliminates seedling variability, proven drought tolerance supports sustainability certifications, compact dimensions suit both residential and commercial scales, and golden-yellow blooms provide seasonal contrast in predominantly green or silver-foliaged desert palettes.

Whether specified as an accent element, massed for bold color statements, or integrated within diverse native plantings, Ericameria laricifolia 'Butterbloom' delivers reliable performance in challenging arid conditions. The combination of fine-textured evergreen structure, seasonal golden blooms, and minimal resource requirements makes this cultivar a practical choice for landscape architects designing resilient, ecologically conscious outdoor spaces throughout California and the desert Southwest.

FAMILY

Asteraceae

MATURE HEIGHT

2 to 4 ft

GROWTH HABIT

Ericameria laricifolia 'Butterbloom' is a compact, clonal, evergreen shrub that grows to be 2-3 feet tall and wide, with a rounded to upright symmetrical form. It features aromatic, narrow, dark green leaves and produces a dense show of bright yellow, daisy-like flowers in late summer and fall, often lasting for several weeks. The growth habit is slow.

WATER REQUIREMENT

Drought Tolerant

HARDY TO

0°F

NATIVE REGION

High deserts of California, Texas and Mexico

TYPE

Shrub

SOIL TYPE

Well-drained. The 'Butterbloom' Turpentine Bush (Ericameria laricifolia 'Butterbloom') requires a soil with excellent, rapid drainage as its primary characteristic. It naturally thrives in poor, dry, and low-organic content soils, including sandy, rocky, granitic, and limestone soils. The ideal pH range is neutral to slightly alkaline, specifically between 6.6 and 7.8. Amending the soil heavily is unnecessary, as the plant is well-adapted to challenging, unamended native conditions.

MAINTENACE TIPS

Maintain the plant with very little effort. It is low-maintenance and drought-tolerant, requiring little to no water once established. Avoid overwatering to prevent overgrowth and encourage a dense form. Mulch with inorganic materials like pebbles if desired, rather than organic ones.

ELEVATION

3000 to 6000 feet

2 to 3 ft

MATURE WIDTH

LEAF SHAPE

Ericameria laricifolia 'Butterbloom' has narrow, needle-like, alternate evergreen leaves that are 1/2 to 3/4 inch long, 1/16-inch wide, and dotted with resinous glands. The leaves are gray-green, emit a strong turpentine or lemony scent when crushed, and are clustered toward the stem tips.

FLOWER COLOR

Yellow

FLOWER CHARACTERISTICS

The 'Butterbloom' Turpentine Bush, a cultivar of the species Ericameria laricifolia, produces showy, bright golden yellow, daisy-like composite flowers. These flowers, characteristic of the Asteraceae (daisy) family, are borne in dense terminal clusters that can nearly cover the entire plant in the fall. Each small flower head typically contains both yellow ray florets and yellow disc florets. The 'Butterbloom' selection is specifically noted for its abundant flowering performance and rich green, aromatic, needle-like foliage.

FRUIT/SEED

The 'Butterbloom' turpentine bush (Ericameria laricifolia 'Butterbloom') produces a small, dry, single-seeded fruit known as an achene. This fruit is narrowly obconic (cone-shaped with the narrow end at the base), somewhat flattened, angular, and covered in white, soft hairs (sericeous). The achene measures approximately 3.5–4 mm in length and features a persistent pappus (a dense tuft of tan to off-white bristles or capillary hairs) at its apex, which aids in wind dispersal. The clustered seed heads appear tan or light brown when ripe and resemble small, packed dandelions before they are dispersed.

SUN EXPOSURE

Full Sun

POLLINATORS

The 'Butterbloom' turpentine bush (Ericameria laricifolia 'Butterbloom') is a vital late-season native plant for numerous pollinators, including various species of native bees and butterflies, which are highly attracted to its abundant, nectar-rich yellow flowers. The plant also serves a crucial role as a specific larval host for the brown hooded owlet moth (Cucullia convexipennis), and the Great Purple Hairstreak. Beyond insects, the resulting seeds provide an important food source for many seed-eating birds, while the shrub's dense form offers cover and nesting sites for birds and small mammals. The aromatic foliage typically deters browsing by large animals such as deer.

PRUNING TIPS

Prune only as needed to maintain shape or control size, ideally in late winter or early spring. Avoid pruning after August to prevent cutting off the developing flower buds, which are set for the fall bloom. If the shrub becomes too large or leggy, a severe pruning to the ground in winter will stimulate new growth the following spring.