creosote bush

noun

1. any of several shrubs belonging to the genus Larrea, of the caltrop family, especially L. tridentata, of arid regions of the southwestern U.S. and Mexico, having yellow flowers and resinous foliage with a strong odor of creosote.

creosote bush

noun

1. Also called: greasewood. a shrub, Larrea (or Covillea ) tridentata of the western US and Mexico, that has resinous leaves with an odour resembling creosote, and can live for many thousands of years: family Zygophyllaceae

Word History and Origins

Origin of creosote bush¹

An Americanism dating back to 1840–50

Example Sentences

The landscape is vast and rugged, a mish-mash of rock, dirt and creosote bushes, swaths of gray and brown under a deep blue sky.

From Los Angeles Times

Amid the Joshua trees and creosote bushes, she recorded the sounds of the makeshift foundry.

From Los Angeles Times

Dashiell, 43, steps in close to enjoy a creosote bush’s telltale aroma of black tar and sand after a storm.

From Los Angeles Times

They include creosote bush, desert lavender, apricot mallow, desert bluebells, milkweed and more.

From Los Angeles Times

Most people experience the Mojave’s widely spaced small shrubs and creosote bushes through the windshield of an air-conditioned car as they drive between Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

From Los Angeles Times