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Taxon  Report  
Kochia scoparia  (L.) Schrad.
Common red sage,   Mexican fireweed,   Summer cypress,   Summercypress
Kochia scoparia is an annual herb that is not native to California.
Cal-IPC rating: limited
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Observation Search
~266 records in California
redone or more occurrences
within a 7.5-minute quadrangle
DJJJASONAFMM

Bloom Period
Genus: Kochia
Family: Chenopodiaceae  
Category: angiosperm  
PLANTS group:Dicot
Jepson eFlora section: eudicot

Toxicity: Do not eat any part of this plant.

Wetlands: Equally likely to occur in wetlands and non wetlands

Habitat: disturbed

Communities: weed, characteristic of disturbed places

Name Status:

Alternate Names:
PLANTSBassia scoparia
Information about  Kochia scoparia from other sources
USDA PLANTS Profile (BASC5)

Photos on Calflora

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Google Images

Photos on iNaturalist

[plants.usda.gov] Environmental Concerns: Environmental Concerns Kochia is highly invasive and is able to establish and persist in harsh environments where other plants are limited. Kochia may be hard to control once it is established in an area. (link added by Mary Ann Machi)

[Wikipedia] Eurasia native: Bassia scoparia is a large annual herb in the family Amaranthaceae (sensu lato) native to Eurasia. It has been introduced to many parts of North America,[1] where it is found in grassland, prairie, and desert shrub ecosystems.[2] Its common names include ragweed, summer cypress,[2] mock-cypress, kochia, belvedere, burningbush,[1] Mexican firebrush, and Mexican fireweed,[3] the provenance of the latter three names being the herb's red autumn foliage. (link added by Mary Ann Machi)

[www.invasive.org/] Ecological Impacts: Ecological Impacts: Kochia is able to spread long distances very rapidly. It is a competitor for light, nutrients, and soil moisture, and can reduce crop yield. It can contaminate crops and suppress the growth of nearby plants by releasing chemicals into the soil. Additionally, kochia contains high levels of oxalates, alkaloids and nitrates that can be toxic to a variety of grazing animals if large amounts are consumed. (link added by Mary Ann Machi)


Suggested Citation
Calflora: Information on California plants for education, research and conservation, with data contributed by public and private institutions and individuals. [web application]. 2024. Berkeley, California: The Calflora Database [a non-profit organization]. Available: https://www.calflora.org/   (Accessed: 11/21/2024).