Darkness hid the landscape by the time we drove round the bend on I-25 north of town, but our noses told us where we were.
Creosote bush grows throughout the Southwest and northern Mexico.
Although widespread, it is not widely appreciated. Regardless, creosote bush is an integral part of the desert, and a sophisticated example of the strategies plants use to adapt to the harsh environment. Creosote bush's distinctive odor and the leaves' shiny appearance are due to a resinous, varnish-like coating which helps the plant keep from drying out. The sophisticated coating also screens the sun's harsh rays, sheltering the delicate inner cells from heat and ultraviolet light. And it discourages grazers - the mix of waxes, volatile oils and other compounds tastes terrible and is indigestible to most animals.