White Bursage, Burro Weed

Scientific Name: Ambrosia dumosa (A. Gray) W.W. Payne
Synonym: Franseria dumosa
Family: Asteraceae

Recommended Temperature Zone:
USDA: 7-10

Frost Tolerance: Hardy to 5°F (-12°C)

Sun Exposure: Full sun

Origin: Southwestern USA (California, Arizona, southern Nevada, and southwestern Utah), northwestern Mexico (Baja California, Sonora), up to 3000 feet elevation (900 m)

Growth Habits: Desert shrub, up to 2 feet tall (60 cm), 3 feet spread over time (90 cm)

Watering Needs: Little water when established

Propagation: Seeds

Large parts of the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts are covered with open or very open stands of creosotebush and white bursage. The leaves of white bursage are small and deeply divided. They may become so dry that it is difficult to tell whether they are alive or dead. Like the triangle-leaf bursage, the white bursage produces a lot of pollen and has been associated with allergies.

Propagation:
The seeds of the ambrosia should be stratified (kept) in moist sand in a fridge (35°F) for a month, to improve the germination.