Creosote Bush

The creosote bush (Larrea tridentata) is simply an awe-inspiring plant. In fact, there is a clonal circle of creosote in the Mojave Desert that is 11,700 years old! In the Mojave, this bush is the most prominent since it grows abundantly and can reach several meet tall. The creosote makes the desert and serves as shelter for burrowing rodents along the base of the plants. When it rains, the unique smell actually comes from this bush. You can smell this by cupping your hands around a branch and taking a deep breathe.

The bush blooms in the spring and attracts many kind of bees searching for pollen and nectar.

Indigenous, especially in the Great Basin of Nevada revered this plant as one of the most important. It was a source of fuel for burning and hand tools were created from stems. The tea from the leaves helped with measles, chicken pox, vernal disease, cramps, and sores. Some people boiled the leaves and used the water to relieve themselves of body aches.