Any Botanists Out There?

[manowar422]

I need help to identify this plant/tree please.



It's growing just outside the door to the office/warehouse
where I work, but it's NOT a part of the original landscape.

It has been blooming here in Dallas for about 3 weeks
now, and has thousands of tiny flowers that smell very sweet.

It has a thick & dark woody trunk, which has been cut back
to the ground last year. The trunk grew close (horizontally)
to the ground and all this years new growth is pale green.

It’s funny, but until I started keeping bees, I never noticed
any bees foraging on the flowers before this year.

Does anyone have any guesses as to what it’s name is?

[Joseph Clemens]

How about a close-up of flower and leaves.

My guess is:

http://www.saguaro-juniper.com/i_and_i/trees&shrubs/desert_broom/desert_broom.html

[Finsky]

Seems to be popular plant
http://www.altavista.com/image/results?q=Baccharis+sarothroides&mik=photo&mik=graphic&mip=all&mis=all&miwxh=all

[manowar422]

I picked out the one that was most clear. If this one’s not good enough,
I’ll take some more and post them too. I know everything is big
in Texas, but this is a normal size bee.
Thanks for your help :)

[Joseph Clemens]

Sure looks like Finsky and I were correct. Desert broom (Baccharis sarothroides).

[manowar422]

Thanks fellas :)

Joseph,
Do you have alot of this plant growing in your area?

My bees (and others) were all over this stuff when it
started blooming.

I wonder if it makes good honey?

[Joseph Clemens]

Yes, it's fairly common. Buds on mine are just about to open. One thing I dislike about it is the seed are disbursed via silk, like milkweed and for a few weeks it gets on and into everything.