Phoenix hikers can spot the desert's signature rain-scented shrub
iNaturalist: lucasharrison
Native Plants
The shrub that makes desert air smell like wet pavement after a monsoon storm is growing in Phoenix, and it's a reliable, water-wise choice for a low-maintenance native yard.
Someone in Phoenix spotted a creosote bush and logged it on iNaturalist, and other users agreed on the ID. This shrub is the plant behind the earthy smell of desert rain. It thrives in hot, dry ground where little else does, so it's easy to find on trails and in vacant lots around the Valley.
Key Findings
1
A creosote bush (Larrea tridentata) was recorded in Phoenix, Arizona.
2
The observation reached research grade, meaning the community agreed on the identification.
3
Records like this add to public data on where native desert shrubs persist in urban areas.
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Technical Summary
A community member documented a creosote bush growing in Phoenix, and other iNaturalist users confirmed the identification. Sightings like this help map where this tough desert shrub grows across the city.
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Abstract Preview
Original paper
Creosote Bush (Larrea tridentata) observed in Phoenix
Research-grade observation of Creosote Bush in Phoenix.
Larrea tridentata, also called creosote bush, greasewood as a plant, and chaparral as a medicinal herb. In Sonora, it is more commonly called hediondilla; Spanish hediondo = "smelly". It is a flowering plant in the family Zygophyllaceae. The specific name tridentata refers to its three-toothed leaves.
