Common Names:
English: desert broom
Spanish: romerillo, hierba del pasmo, escoba amarga, casol
Tohono O’odham: su:sk wakck
Botanical Name:
Baccharis sarothroides
Family:
Asteraceae
Distribution:
Sonoran Desert (elevation: 1,000 - 5,500 feet). Typically grows in saline soils and prefers sandy washes.
Flowering Season:
August, October, and November
Medicinal Uses:
Desert broom is used medicinally both internally and topically.
The leaves and stems are used to make a tea to treat symptoms of the common cold and sinus headaches. This same tea can be used for sore muscle relief when applied topically.
References Cited:
Felger, Richard Stephen., and Mary Beck. Moser. People of the Desert and Sea: Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians. Tucson, Ariz.: U of Arizona, 1985. Web.