Red Growth on a Creosote Bush

Habitat

• The creosote bush is found in the deserts of the American southwest and into Mexico, where its range has increased 70-fold since the 1930s. It prefers sandy, gravelly and calcareous soils, and does not fare well where soils have a high salinity. It is extremely drought-tolerant and able to survive up to two years without water. It is also allelopathic, releasing toxins that prevent competing plants from growing too close.

Propagation

• Since seed germination is poor in this shrub, it propagates itself through cloning. Each year, new sprouts appear around the outer edges of the root crown. Eventually, the innermost plants die off, but the crown continues to produce shoots at its perimeter. This clonal growth accounts for the regularity of spacing in stands of pure creosote.

Bloom

• With small yellow flowers that cover the bush, the creosote bush blooms from February through August. The flowers have a somewhat twisted appearance and are enjoyed by honeybees and other insects. It is common to find creosote bush individuals blooming year-round in some areas.

Self-preservation

• In times of extreme drought, this evergreen shrub drops a portion of its leaves, and may, in fact, appear to have died completely. It almost always perks up at the first sign of rain, growing new leaves and continuing its life cycle. It has even been known to continue sprouting from the root crown after being decimated by fire. This toughness makes it one of the desert's hardiest inhabitants.