Brittlebush is a member of the sunflower family.  It is actually the common name for 2 species of Encelia.  Encelia actoni, growing on our nature trail, is found in the park above 3500 feet.  It is a showy, gray-green shrub that has bright yellow flower heads, each rising on a single stalk.

Acton encelia are most noticeable in late May when they can blanket the rocky hillsides above Sky’s the Limit with  a sea of yellow.  At the same time, desert mallow often provide a massive amount of apricot color on other nearby hills.