# Help me identify this plant (Southern Spain, coastal) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 18, 2018, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-plant-southern-spain-coastal/824750 "2018-11-18T22:50:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2018, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-plant-southern-spain-coastal/824750/1 "2018-11-18T22:50:04Z")
I spent the last couple of weeks in southern Spain and I saw a lot of one particular plant in bloom - links to photos below, but here’s a brief description: It’s a wiry shrub; most large examples growing no taller than about a metre, with a spread of maybe 1.5 metres. Foliage is somewhat succulent; leaves are needle-like - similar to Rosemary (but more fleshy) No particular distinctive aroma when crushed - just smells like vegetation The examples in flower were often so covered with bloom that the stems and leaves were almost completely obscured. The flowers are individually a little less than 1cm across - and varied in colour from creamy yellow through to deep magenta (I am unsure whether this is just variation from one plant to another, or if they start one colour and mature to a different colour) The flower petals themselves were translucent and felt somewhat fleshy and moist. I regret not having looked close enough to count individual petals, but from my photos, it looks as though they might be fused anyway. The flowers were night-scented. The habitat was coastal scrub in a fairly arid part of Murcia, Spain. Here are some photos in a folder on OneDrive: > **[MysteryPlant](https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=B021FB3140391EBE%21130578&authkey=%21ADMbJ2FJ27aCOzA&ithint=folder)** > > Folder Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2018, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-plant-southern-spain-coastal/824750/2 "2018-11-18T23:09:45Z")
Looks like azalea to me. I have never been to Spain so I am not sure what grows there. But the bush looks similar to me. Azaleas can have a variety of bloom colors and bloom size. Especially picture 5. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2018, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-plant-southern-spain-coastal/824750/3 "2018-11-18T23:30:20Z")
Thanks, but I don’t think it will have been an Ericaceous plant - I think the soil is pretty alkaline in the area I saw this. I don’t think there are any azalea species with flowers this small. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2018, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-plant-southern-spain-coastal/824750/4 "2018-11-18T23:33:40Z")
FYI, this smartphone app may help iNaturalist > **[iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/)** > > iNaturalist is a social network for naturalists! Record your observations of plants and animals, > share them with friends and researchers, and learn about the natural world. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2018, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-plant-southern-spain-coastal/824750/5 "2018-11-19T00:19:38Z")
Ok. I have decided it may be bougainvillia. WAG. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2018, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-plant-southern-spain-coastal/824750/6 "2018-11-19T00:42:44Z")
Could the mystery plant be a [Cistus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cistus) species (one pictured in the Wikipedia link has sort of Rosemary-like foliage, though it’s not the plant **Mangetout** photographed)? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2018, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-plant-southern-spain-coastal/824750/7 "2018-11-19T00:47:51Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Ok. I have decided it may be bougainvillia. WAG. Umm, no. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2018, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-plant-southern-spain-coastal/824750/8 "2018-11-19T03:40:11Z")
Oh, well, I tried. I looked at more pix of flowers than I ever have. Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2018, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-plant-southern-spain-coastal/824750/9 "2018-11-19T03:58:17Z")
Looks like some kind of ice plant. ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2018, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-plant-southern-spain-coastal/824750/10 "2018-11-19T05:11:47Z")
Is this it? ESCOBILLA. Salsola genistoides The page is in Spanish; it says that it’s common, found practically anywhere in Murcia, and blooms September to November [http://www.regmurcia.com/servlet/s.Sl?sit=c,365,m,1050&r=ReP-8531-DETALLE\_REPORTAJESABUELO](http://www.regmurcia.com/servlet/s.Sl?sit=c,365,m,1050&r=ReP-8531-DETALLE_REPORTAJESABUELO) The name ESCOBILLA means brush or small broom And another page > **[Salsola genistoides - Escobilla - Escobella](http://herbariovirtualbanyeres.blogspot.com/2011/10/salsola-genistoides-escobilla-escobella.html)** > > Salsola genistoides FAMILIA: QUENOPODIÁCEAS VALENCIANO: ESCOBELLA CASTELLANO: ESCOBILLA, ESCOBÓN, BARRILL , ALMAJO, BOJA NEGRA CARA... ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2018, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-plant-southern-spain-coastal/824750/11 "2018-11-19T05:49:01Z")
I was going to say that the plant doesn’t look like anything I recognize and that I’d ask my mother, but escobilla does look like the pics and it’s endemic to Murcia. While there are places in Navarre which look a lot like the “landscape” pics, we’re pretty much on the other end of the country, so it makes sense that I wouldn’t have seen it before. I’ll still try and remember to ask Mom when I see her though. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2018, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-plant-southern-spain-coastal/824750/12 "2018-11-19T08:11:23Z")
I wonder if escobilla’s edible, like samphire and iceplant? I see it’s a relative of _agretti_, so probably. C’mon, **Mangetout** , the thought must have crossed your mind… ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2018, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-plant-southern-spain-coastal/824750/13 "2018-11-19T08:18:36Z")
Nope, poisonous. It has some medicinal uses but in general it’s “don’t even think about it”. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2018, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-plant-southern-spain-coastal/824750/14 "2018-11-19T08:55:47Z")
> [@gkster](#): > > Is this it? ESCOBILLA. Salsola genistoides > The page is in Spanish; it says that it’s common, found practically anywhere in Murcia, and blooms September to November > [http://www.regmurcia.com/servlet/s.Sl?sit=c,365,m,1050&r=ReP-8531-DETALLE\_REPORTAJESABUELO](http://www.regmurcia.com/servlet/s.Sl?sit=c,365,m,1050&r=ReP-8531-DETALLE_REPORTAJESABUELO) > > The name ESCOBILLA means brush or small broom > > And another page > [HERBARIO VIRTUAL DE BANYERES DE MARIOLA Y ALICANTE: Salsola genistoides - Escobilla - Escobella](http://herbariovirtualbanyeres.blogspot.com/2011/10/salsola-genistoides-escobilla-escobella.html) Brilliant! - thank you ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2018, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-plant-southern-spain-coastal/824750/15 "2018-11-19T08:57:57Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > I wonder if escobilla’s edible, like samphire and iceplant? I see it’s a relative of _agretti_, so probably. > > C’mon, **Mangetout** , the thought must have crossed your mind… > [@Nava](#): > > Nope, poisonous. It has some medicinal uses but in general it’s “don’t even think about it”. It’s interesting, because if I had known it was in the chenopodaceae (spinach family), I might have been tempted to think it edible. I wouldn’t have actually eaten it without further research of course. ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2018, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-plant-southern-spain-coastal/824750/16 "2018-11-19T19:17:28Z")
Glad to solve the mystery! I’ve frequently come back from trips to unfamiliar climate zones with “what was that plant?” questions.