Shrub · Sonoran native
Creosote bush
Larrea tridentata · Zygophyllaceae
Also called: greasewood, chaparral, gobernadora, hediondilla
Creosote bush (Larrea tridentata) is a very low-water shrub native to the Sonoran Desert region well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It thrives in full sun, with a slow to moderate growth rate. Expect yellow blooms Mainly spring.
Creosote bush at a glance
- Water use
- Very Low (established)
- Sun
- Full sun; thrives in reflected heat
- Mature size
- 4-8 ft H x 4-8 ft W (occasionally to 10-12 ft in favorable sites)
- Growth rate
- Slow to moderate
- Bloom
- Yellow, Mainly spring (Feb-May) with a secondary flush after summer monsoon rains; can bloom intermittently whenever moisture is available
- Cold hardiness
- Hardy to about 0-10°F; USDA zones 7-11
- Soil
- Tolerates poor, rocky, gravelly, sandy, and caliche/alkaline soils; needs good drainage. Adapted to calcareous low-desert soils.
- Native range
- Sonoran, Mojave, and Chihuahuan Deserts of the southwestern U.S. and Mexico; widespread and dominant across Arizona's low desert
- Best used as
- Native revegetation and habitat restoration, Low-water screen or informal hedge, Wildlife and pollinator gardens, Desert/xeriscape and naturalistic landscapes, Erosion control
- Wildlife
- Hosts numerous specialist native bees and the creosote gall midge; provides cover and nesting for birds, lizards, and small mammals; seeds and foliage support desert wildlife. A keystone species of the Sonoran Desert.
- Toxicity
- Contains resins (notably NDGA/nordihydroguaiaretic acid); foliage is largely unpalatable and generally avoided by livestock. Folk-medicine 'chaparral' teas have been linked to liver toxicity, so internal use is discouraged.
How to grow Creosote bush in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Extremely drought tolerant once established and survives entirely on rainfall in Tucson; supplemental water is rarely needed but occasional deep soaks in extreme drought keep it fuller. Tolerates flood-irrigated and bone-dry sites alike.
Fertilizer & nutrients
None needed; adapted to nutrient-poor desert soils. Fertilizer is unnecessary and can promote rank growth.
Pruning & care
Little to no pruning required; remove dead wood and lightly shape if desired. Responds well to occasional renewal pruning but is best left in its natural form.
Notes
The iconic 'smell of desert rain'; resinous foliage releases its signature creosote scent when wet. One of the longest-lived plants on Earth (clonal rings such as 'King Clone' estimated at thousands of years). Allelopathic roots can inhibit nearby plants. A true Sonoran Desert native and ecological cornerstone.
Sources: Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum; AMWUA Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert; University of Arizona Cooperative Extension; Tohono Chul