The female flowers of manglier have a feathery appearance. Photo by Bob Peterson/North Carolina State University

Last year was hot and dry. This year has been hot and wet. We observe the impact of these conditions on our landscapes. Interspersed among the less palatable observations, however, are those plants showing few signs of stress. Louisiana native plants have adapted to Louisiana environmental conditions. Manglier is a native that may well be shining near you this fall!

If the shine is not yet viewable, it will soon be. The white flower clusters form a feathery appearance from a moderate distance. A closer inspection of these fine inflorescences reveals strands with the look of fiberglass. These are the female flowers. The male flowers are not as showy, producing yellow orbs earlier than the females. Being that manglier is dioecious – a plant producing separate male and female individuals – both will be required for reproduction. The show will be through fall.

Delightful blooms aside, Baccharis halimifolia is revered by many in south Louisiana for its folk medicinal virtues. Regardless of the cultural flag you wave, if you are from the area, you may already know of manglier’s uses well beyond its potential as a landscape shrub. Perhaps you had its roots boiled for fever and aches. Maybe the leaves were stewed for a sore throat and congestion, followed by a spirit of choice added with honey and lemon to attempt to neutralize the bitter flavor. If inflammation was present, manglier may have been brewed. Belief in this plant’s effectiveness is not relegated to your grandmother’s kitchen, as modern medical research confirms. LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center and Rutgers University collaborated in recent years to fund a project that concluded that manglier, also known as groundsel bush, effectively combats insulin sensitivity and inflammation from obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

It is doubtful pollinators like the monarch butterfly view the manglier nectar as medicinal, however, they are drawn to it, nonetheless. If you are drawn to it for the blooms, medicinal value or pollinator potential, add this native shrub to your landscape. Manglier grows to a height of 6-12 feet with a comparable width, providing hedge possibilities. For a more informal aesthetic, plant 3 feet apart, or 6-8 feet apart for specimens. Soil type and soil moisture are of little concern, as this plant thrives in wet, disturbed locations, including salt marshes, lending itself to another name, saltbush. Once established, it should tolerate all of the varied conditions we have endured since 2023.

Baccharis halimifolia does not need to boast of its Asteraceae family ties to the daisy and sunflower. The semi-evergreen shrub grows quickly, is hardy and has appealing leaves that are deeply toothed. Manglier is of this land, and not only gives remedies, but also a show. Enjoy the shine!