Chaparral also known as Creosote is a hardy bush which is perennial and very frequently found in the Southwest, Mexico and the Sonoran deserts. The oil in the plant activates in rain and gives off a most distinctive aroma. Chaparral holds the prestigious label of being one of the first North American desert plants. Although Native Americans used it for centuries, when the Spanish came, they named it “La Gobernadora,” the governess -- because it seemed to rule over all the rest of the healing plants.
It has truly earned its title. It’s an ultimate survivor – able to live in the harsh desert even up to a year without any water. The summer heat does not affect it and it is the most drought tolerant of all the desert plants. The chaparral plant is one of the most adaptable desert plants in the world and was one of the first to grow back after the Yucca Flats nuclear bomb tests in 1962. It can live for thousands of years.
Several native plants begin their life under the shade of this creosote bush. Many mammals build their nests beneath the creosote bushes and eat their flowers and seeds.
For centuries, Native Americans used this bush for medicines -- as remedies for colds, coughs, fevers, influenza, arthritis, snake bites, diabetes and for emetics. They also used the creosote bush for affixing their arrows and mending pottery. Today’s research is focused on how it can be used to stymie the growth of tumors.