Adenostoma fasciculatum

Adenostoma fasciculatum, commonly known as chamise or greasewood, is an evergreen shrub in the rose family (Rosaceae) endemic to the California Floristic Province and northern Baja California. It typically grows 1–4 m tall with a woody, often gnarled trunk and many slender, reddish-brown branches that become shreddy with age. The small, needle-like leaves are 4–10 mm long, linear, resinous, and arranged in fascicled clusters along the stems, giving the species its specific epithet. Tiny white flowers, 2–3 mm across with five petals, are borne in dense terminal panicles in late spring and early summer; the inflorescences age to a characteristic rusty brown that persists on the plant. Each flower produces a single small achene. Chamise is the dominant shrub across millions of hectares of California chaparral, forming nearly monospecific stands on dry, rocky slopes. It is highly drought-tolerant, sprouts vigorously from a basal burl after fire, and contains volatile oils that contribute to its flammability.