The Soil Requirements of Creosote Bushes

Soil

• The shrub is best adapted to growing in sandy or gravelly, alluvial and calcareous ground. Creosote bush does not thrive in saline soil. The plant requires a very well-drained and airy soil and is poorly adapted to growing in containers. In its native habitat, creosote bush is found on valley floors, desert washes and slopes at elevations of about 5,000 feet. The plant is highly drought-tolerant given its long taproots and is able to survive for two to three years without rainfall.

Size and Foliage

• The evergreen shrub has a mature height of up to 10 feet but usually grows to only 3 to 4 feet tall. The irregular, slender branches grow directly from the base and are densely covered with olive-green leaflets. The leaves have a coating of a sticky resin with a petroleum-like aroma. The mother plants gradually divide into separate bushes over time, reproducing vegetatively.

Flower and Fruit

• The creosote bush only flowers if rain has occurred during the past summer. Excessive rain causes flowers to be diseased. The small-sized, yellow flowers bloom abundantly in the spring and also sporadically through the summer. The five-petaled flowers are 1/4 to 1/3 inch long and have 10 stamens. The blooms are followed by small, round fruit in the shape of capsules. The capsules are covered with a white fuzz and are further divided into five hard carpels containing single seeds.

Propagating

• The hard coating on the seeds makes germination hard and often unreliable. Hulling the seeds extensively (removing the outer covering mechanically) prior to planting helps improve germination rate. The seedlings require special care as they are highly sensitive to excessive amounts of moisture in soil. Propagation from cuttings is also a tedious process since the cuttings root very slowly. The best cuttings are from new wood of nursery-grown plants.