Creosote Bush

 Creosote (Picture taken in Casa Grande Ruins)

Ah, I've heard so much about this plant. The name itself always excited me. Travelling through Indian country one can learn that American Indians used the plant for medicinal purposes. It still grows in abundance in desert country like Arizona and desert parts of California.

I expected it to smell like creosote (though I don't know how creosote smells) but I could not detect any smell. Perhaps Indians cooked it and the heating would release the smell. It has sticky oily substance that is released when you rub the leaves but it does not have any aroma.

Creosote bush (Picture taken in Joshua Tree National Park)

Another creosote bush had little white puffy balls. My guess is they are seeds. As you can see there are flowers and white puffs on the same bush. It's fairly common in plants.

Cresoste bush is called Larrea tridentata in Latin and is part of family Zygophyllaceae.