Arizona Wild Flowers
Wildflower Pictures And Photos

Creosote Bush, Larrea tridentata

Creosote Bush, Larrea tridentata

Creosote Bush Called Creosote Bush Due To Smell	Not Nector Source For Bees Gives Desert A Creosote Smell After A Rain!
Creosote Bush Flower Called Creosote Bush Due To Smell	Not Nector Source For Bees Gives Desert A Creosote Smell After A Rain!

Creosote Bush Larrea tridentata Caltrop Family ( Zygophyllacceae ), Creosote Bush. Also known as Creosotebush. Creosote Bush is one of the most common shrubs in the Sonoran, Chihuahuan, and Mojave Deserts. It smells like creosote after a rain. Often grows in groups of 3 or more plants. Spaced about 3 ' apart. The leaves contain many anti-herbivory resinous compounds, so the plant is seldom eaten by grazing animals of any kind. Burrowing animals (kangaroo rats and other rodents) dig holes and burrows in the soil round the base of these plants. They seak shelter in these underground burrows during the heat of the day and then emerge to forage at night. Snakes, spiders, and scorpions are sometimes found in these holes. While bees use its pollen, it is not a good source for nectar. This is from our experience of over 35 years as beekeepers. Yet, many noted "authorities" say that it is foraged by bees. Creosote lives a long time. Some plants are thought to be over 11,000 years old! Height: Up To About 3' - 6' Tall, 3 '- 6' wide. Flowers: The color is a bright yellow with five sepals (not petals), 1 inch across, long filaments, yellow anthers, appear in small clusters in early spring with the leaves. Blooming Time: Mid February - March then again after summer rains in July - September Leaves: Small, compound, evergreen, dark green to yellowish - green, consisting of two leaflets, joined at the base. They have a thick, shiny cuticle which withstands water loss. Fruit: Small, globose and covered in hairs. Elevation: 0 - 3500 Feet. Habitat: Dry flats and slopes with caliche under the soil. Miscellaneous: Flowering Photos Taken March 20, 2003.