Larrea tridentata

Common Name: Creosote Bush, Greasewood, Hedilondilla
Oˊodham Name: Ṣegai Audio
Group: Shrubs － Desert, Desert Grassland (occasional)

Description

Larrea tridentata is a slow growing, long lived shrub that often covers large expanses of desert plains and slopes below 4000 ft. The tiny leaves usually have an olive color but turn bright green in the Springtime or after a heavy rain. The leaves are coated with a sticky, aromatic resin that limit moisture evaporation and also gives the desert its familiar odor when the humidity is high or after rain.

Classification

Kingdom Plantae － Plants

Subkingdom Tracheobionta － Vascular plants

Superdivision Spermatophyta － Seed plants

Division Magnoliophyta － Flowering plants

Class Magnoliopsida － Dicotyledons

Subclass Rosidae

Order Sapindales

Family Zygophyllaceae － Creosote-bush family

Genus Larrea Cav. － creosote bush

Species Larrea tridentata (DC.) Coville － creosote bush

More Information

USDA Plant Profile and Map