Larrea Species, Creosote Bush

I have had success growing Creosote here in Salt Lake City, Utah (zone 7b) with virtually no issue whatsoever for many years. I never get...Read More dieback or tip burn even in the toughest of our 7b winters (around 5 F). I collected seed from Southern Utah and also picked up a few from a local nursery in St George and they have done pretty good here in full sun in a rock garden against a south facing wall of my house. I would say they have a cold hardiness of more like 0 F (zone 7a). I love the smell when it rains! And all of my bushes have bloomed pretty much every year. I would NOT recommend transplanting them though unless they’re already in a pot from a nursery. Anytime i’ve tried to move one or disturb the roots they parish without fail, so they are definitely sensitive plants in that regard.

Creosote Bush is tough, though from even containers, it has a low survival rate. Not sure if it's the nursery soil mix or just sensitive ...Read Moreroots. Either way, it seems to establish best in gravelly soil.

Based on creosote's garden experience and especially native range to north of Albuquerque NM (pre-1990) and Roswell NM, and to Hiko NV, it is cold hardy to USDA Zone 7a in those hot summer locations.

What a wonderful plant to have just below an open bedroom window. After a rain it gives off the most wonderful clean desert rain scent. I...Read More bought 3 at a plant sale. One died but the others are doing great. I now have 5. I have looked for babies (only about 1-2 inches tall)and have had great success transplanting. I dig the new hole the size of one shovelful then dig up the baby with the same shovelful and carry it to the new hole. Be very gentle with the placement. Also I point it in the same direction it was growing. I water frequently but sparingly for the first few months and gradually taper off. I want to try growing from seed. Time will tell...

Every desert garden should have at least one of these. Regular but shallow watering during the spring and summer, plus a little fertilize...Read Morer, gives you a beautiful, rugged bush that bears little resemblance to the scraggly half-dead creosote bushes you see growing wild.

I've had bad luck with nursery-grown stock (5 out of 6 died within months) and I tried growing them from seed with little success. The best method by far is to dig up wild babies after a rain and transplant them in early spring. Water them daily with 1 Tbsp. of water, increasing to 2-3 Tbsp. of water during the hot summer months, plus a little Miracle-Gro now and then.

I did this with 8 plants 3 years ago and all are thriving. Now established, they still get 1/4 to 1/2 can of water once a week, if it hasn't rained, to keep them looking lush. After 3 years, two of them are about 4 feet tall and as wide, and they are thick with flowers and of course they smell wonderful after a rain!