Gutierrezia Sarothrae - Uses

Uses

G. sarothrae was used by the Native Americans on the Great Plains for various reasons. The Comanche bound the stems together to make brooms. The Blackfoot used the roots in an herbal steam as a treatment for respiratory ailments. A decoction of the plant was used by the Lakota to treat colds, coughs, and dizziness, while a concentrate made from the flowers was used by the Dakota as a laxative for horses. The Navajo rubbed the ashes of G. sarothrae on their bodies to treat headaches and dizziness, and also applied the chewed plant to wounds, snakebites, and areas swollen by insect bites and stings.

G. sarothrae is a poor quality browse for most large ungulates. It is important to pronghorn antelope in some areas, especially during spring and summer, and can comprise up to 28% of the pronghorn antelope's diet. G. sarothrae is of little value to cattle and horses, but can be a fair quality winter browse for domestic sheep when there is little access to green forage.

Under natural conditions G. sarothrae quickly invades disturbed areas, and can minimize soil erosion; for example, it is reportedly able to stabilize loose wind-blown soils in mesquite sand dunes. It has been rated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service as low to medium for erosion control potential, low for short-term revegetation potential, and low to medium for long-term revegetation potential.