Named After a Greek God

There is a steady plant that blooms so faithfully along the shore of "my" river at this time of year. Like most fall flowers it also is a member of the aster family.  I think mine is the Baccharis halimifolia, but we just call it saltbush.  Another common name is groundsel tree.  It has an herby smell in the fall and reminds one of the dry crispness of leaves and fall weather and maybe the far from here desert of the West.

The rising waters of the river with higher tides during some years have pushed this fellow back against the shoreline and killed some of my plants.  Yes, it never fails to show brightly like little lights against the water as all the leaves on the trees change colors.

The flowers resemble silver paint brushes.

It is an important food source for all the pollinators trying to get the last nutrition before the first frost.  In summer it is a shelter for the nests of marsh wrens.  Like many plants it can be an invasive and this one is considered to be in Australia of all places!

It also makes a very nice backdrop to the sunset.

Baccharis is the ancient Greek name (derived from the god Bacchus) of a plant with fragrant roots.  I did not find anything about wine.  As the season ages these white paintbrushes become exploding tufts of cotton floating freely on the air.