Creosote bush

Description:

Evergreen shrub that was 2 meters tall. It has small pointed green leaves with a waxy coating. These leaves have adapted to conserve water and survive high temperatures. The creosote bush competes aggressively with other plants for water in the soil and grows well in dry conditions.

Habitat:

Spotted in south central New Mexico. Chihuahuan Desert. Elevation 4350 ft.

Notes:

Native Americans in the Southwest held beliefs that it treated many maladies, including sexually transmitted diseases, tuberculosis, chicken pox, dysmenorrhea, and snakebite. The Coahuilla Indians used the plant for intestinal complaints and tuberculosis. The Pima drank a decoction of the leaves as an emetic, and applied the boiled leaves as poultices to wounds or sores. Papago Indians prepared it medicinally for stiff limbs, snake bites, and menstrual cramps. The shrub is still widely used as an herbal medicine in Mexico. (Wikipedia)