Debris. Because of this, creosote bush’s natural habitat is in areas where grass has a difficult time growing. It is currently under research as a chemotherapeutic agent for cancer, and shows promise. So the creosote bush only opens its stomata in the mornings when the humidity is relatively high and the loss of water is the lowest. Softer woods like birch, pine, and spruce are less dense, so they burn out faster. Very interesting. While the creosote bush is inedible to most browsing animals, some small mammals such as the black-tailed jackrabbit consume the seeds and some species of rats eat the twigs. It has commonly been used as a wood preservative protecting against wood-destroying insects and wood-rotting fungi. Unpublished Book Chapter. The flowers are up to 25 mm (0.98 in) in diameter, with five yellow petals. Like petrol, it is a mixture of hundreds of distinct chemicals rather than one specific chemical. However, in 2003, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) changed the law so […] Its branches and leaves grow in a shape meant to capture as much morning sunlight as possible. The resinous leaf nodes were used to soothe bruises and wounds. This creates an island of fertility that allows other plants and animals to live underneath, creating a rich soil that is full of nutrients for the creosote bush. Lone creosote invader in the sands of Death Valley helps us imagine the adaptation over many millennia. On many creosote bushes you will see black areas on some branches. The beetles look like walking seeds. Larger animals, including desert tortoises, kangaroo rats, lizards and desert fox make their beds under the creosote bush or take refuge from predators and hot daytime temperatures in the plant’s shade. A dirty, crusted smoker will help produce creosote. If your chimney smells like ——– Then it most likely is from… Bad Barbeque/Asphalt ————- Creosote build up Musty Odor ————————– Water sitting in your smoke chamber Rot and Decomposition ———— Fallen leaves combining with damp soot and rotting in the chimney Creosote is a medicinal plant and bees’ partner. The second and most common culprit is creosote. Creosote also emits a strong smell that many associate with a wood-burning fire. Creosote is a chemical by-product that forms when wood, coal or creosote bushes (Larrea tridentata) are burned under high heat. The next, the desert can smell just like rain.” (quote above by Gary Nabhan from The Desert Smells Like Rain). To many of us, it smells like home. When rains do come, the shallow, wide spread roots quickly take in water from the surrounding soil. Fire keeps creosote bush in check The creosote bush thrives in the desert. If the prevailing wind is especially strong, only the clones downwind of the parent plant will survive, forming a line of plants instead of an expanding ring.”. Also check out some of our YouTube videos on “grasses and wildflowers of the Chihuahuan Desert.”. Does anyone happen to know of a scent that reminds them strongly of this smell? The smell of creosote after a good rain is the result of many volatile oils, but mostly terpene (a compound found in pines), limonene (citrus), camphor (pines and rosemary), methanol (wood alcohol), and 2-undecanone (spices). Creosote has one weakness though, fire. The odor is usually worse in the summer when the humidity is high and the air conditioner is turned on. “Rain volatilizes that waxy coating which then produces a distinct, camphor-like odor which some desert dwellers call the smell of rain. Creosote Bush Salve became a bona fide business in 2012. The more severe the creosote buildup is … Fortunately, you can remove this smell from your home. Here’s what you’ll find in this plant: Pinene – A compound found in pines; Limonene – Citrus When I went outside the next morning it smelled like creosote. While this may seem like not using the sunlight is wasted potential, it is in fact a smart move since it saves water. What Does Creosote Smell Like? It has encountered and adapted to more environmental challenges than you could ever imagine. This practice ended in the 70s when the FDA discontinued its use in food, but recent research on the chemical has found some promise in its ability to reduce cancerous tumors in animals. And in the desert it is always water, not sunlight that limits plant growth. It is a dark, flammable tar that is absorbed by the masonry inside your chimney. This is a microbial community of algae, fungi, and bacteria that in exchange for a place to live, gives the plant nutrients as rainwater flows over it and into the soil. A special thanks to Walt Whitford for lending his expertise to this blog. This musky smell comes from a coating on the Creosote’s leaves that helps it preserve water. Submitted by Johnny Ramirez on Thu, 2015-04-30 16:41. What Is Meth? And a tea made from the leaves and sweetened with a little honey was said to greatly relieve kidney pain. During this period this hardy invader shrub rapidly colonized  after unknown long distance carriers (possibly migrating plovers) brought the seeds north from Argentina. You can often experience the odor by cupping some leaves in your hands and blowing on them. These mysterious looking growth rings then become mounded up with sand in the center. (Harold DeLisle, PhD). The soot smell is indicative of a creosote build-up in your chimney. If you are familiar with the Chihuahuan Desert, you will recognize the creosote bush (Larrea tridentata) as ubiquitous. ” (Jonathan DuHamel). This scenario fits with a traditional open fireplace. This type of creosote is formed as a result of the combination of: 1. Institute of Ecology. A cone shape allows creosote bush to channel rain down its stems so that the water goes deeper into the soil and the roots have more time to absorb it. It is during this time that creosote bush undergoes photosynthesis, and shuts it down when the sun rises higher. Creosote is from smoke that contains droplets of unburned carbon and is often referred to as tar-fog. The odor goes right down the chimney and into the house because high air pressure outside forces air down the chimney, bringing soot, creosote… On a cellular level we are in vibration with these qualities of place in every moment. Creosote and Soot. 1-800-350-2693 (for initial call only)  | Office:  928-282-0846, “The desert is unpredictable, enigmatic. Then you need to make sure that you have proper airflow. Today creosote, Larrea tridentata, is a dominant or co-dominant member of most plant communities in the Mohave, Sonoran, and Chihuahuan Deserts. As much morning sunlight as possible can happen when a … creosote emits. 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