Broom Snakeweed  -   Asteraceae (Aster Family) Gutierrezia  sarothrae
Home       Plant Index     Photo Details  & Description      Utah Range Map





Photo Details
August 22, 2004 , LeBarron Point, Utah County, Utah  - ©Nicky Davis

Characteristics
Syn
Matchbrush
Broom Snakeweeds have both ray flowers and disk flowers while Rabbit Brushes have no ray flowers. Broom snakeweed is utilized by mule deer and pronghorn antelope. It can comprise up to 28% of the pronghorn diet. Different native American tribes had different uses for it. Some used it as an herbal steam for respiratory ailments, others used the flower concentrate as a laxative for horses, some used it as a treatment for coughs and dizziness, some rubbed the ashes of the burned Snakeweed .  on their bodies for headache and some applied it to snake and insect bites, after chewing it up. The Comanche tribe made brooms from it to clean their homes.

Back to Top