Creosote bush is the most widely distributed shrub of the desert environment. The Mojave Desert is the northward limit of the range of this species. The shiny, oily, dark-green leaves and small yellow flowers are characteristic of this medium to large shrub. Indians utilized the creosote bush for firewood, glue, tea, and as a general antiseptic.

The plant appears to be paler in color in areas where rainfall is not plentiful. Creosote bushes are uniformly spaced because of the production of chemical inhibitors by the roots that radiate from the plant just below the ground surface. Where the precipitation is sparse, the spacing between the plants is wide; where rainfall is abundant, the spacing is greatly reduced.