Creosote bush

Larrea tridentata

Family:: Zygophyllaceae
Elevation:: 1,000 ft – 5,000 ft
Bloom:: Feb – May
Region:: Southwest

The dominant evergreen shrub of the American warm deserts, with small resinous olive-green leaves that release the unmistakable smell of rain, and cheerful yellow flowers followed by fuzzy white seed capsules. One of the longest-lived plants on Earth.

Care · tuned to the Southwest

Water

About as drought tolerant as a shrub gets; needs essentially no supplemental water once established and resents overwatering. Responds to monsoon rains with a flush of new growth and repeat bloom. Established plants rarely die of drought.

Sun & exposure

Full, open sun; handles intense reflected heat without scorching.

Soil

Thrives in poor, alkaline, gravelly, sandy, or caliche desert soils; excellent drainage is the only real requirement.

In the Southwest

Hardy through most Southwest low- and mid-desert winters. Can be lightly shaped but naturally forms an open, airy shrub; avoid heavy pruning. Long-lived clonal rings are ancient. Supports specialist native bees and lac insects.

Common problems & fixes

Overwatering — sparse, floppy, or rotting growth on an extremely drought-adapted shrub
Fix — Water deeply but very infrequently and let soil dry completely; treat it as a no-irrigation plant once established.
Largely trouble-free — essentially pest- and disease-free
Fix — Give it full sun and lean, well-drained soil and simply leave it alone.

Pets & toxicity

Foliage is resinous and unpalatable; ingestion of creosote/chaparral has been linked to liver toxicity, so discourage pets from eating it.

Easy to confuse with

Tarbush (Flourensia cernua) — nodding flower heads, no waxy white capsules
Turpentine bush (Ericameria laricifolia) — needle-like leaves, blooms in fall

Sources

Think you're looking at one?

Snap a photo and we'll rank the candidates against the local flora — honestly, and for free.

Identify a plant