In Red Rock Canyon, you can often find desert baccharis (Baccharis sergiloides) and mulefat (Baccharis salicifolia) in bloom with small white flowerhead tips during fall. These large green skinny-stemmed shrubs (up to 12 feet tall) look very similar to each other. However, the leaves on desert baccharis feature small oval shaped leaves while mulefat features longer lanceolate leaves that look like willow leaves. These plants are often spotted near water sources like springs and drainages in the desert. Natives used plants in the Baccharis genus to treat bruises, reduce swelling, and ease wounds.

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