Creosote Bush is grown for its foliage and the structure it brings to a planting. It's hardy across USDA zones 7 through 10, shrugs off deer and shrugs off dry spells. Its spring flowers are a real draw for native bees.
Creosote Bush — the short answer
Creosote Bush: grown in zones 7–10, full sun, pH 7–8.5.
- USDA zones
- 7–10
- Manual horticultural correction (source not retained); NC State Extension and Missouri Botanical Garden, with the remaining rows from other published sources or Growable Ground compilation
- Soil pH
- 7–8.5
- Growable Ground Plant Database
- Sun
- Full Sun
- Growable Ground Plant Database
Plant data: Growable Ground Plant Database, compiled from FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS and university Extension sources — each tile names its own row's source, because per-field provenance varies.
Score Creosote Bush on your exact land.
Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether creosote bush actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score creosote bush against your land's real conditions.
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What Creosote Bush is
Creosote Bush grows as a perennial and reaches around ten feet at maturity. It blooms yellow in spring. It's also deer-resistant.
How to grow Creosote Bush
Creosote Bush grows in USDA zones 7 through 10. Creosote Bush does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 7 to 8.5, on fast-draining ground. It needs a growing season of at least 250 frost-free days and about 0 hours of winter chill, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
7-10
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
7 - 8.5
Growable Ground Plant Database
Sun
Full Sun
Growable Ground plant catalog
Drainage
excessive (dry/moderately dry)
Growable Ground plant catalog
Mature Height
10 ft
Growable Ground plant catalog
Chill Hours
0+
Winter hours below ~45°F it needs to fruit — too-mild winters can leave it bloom-shy.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Frost-Free Days
250+
The frost-free stretch it needs start to finish — short-season areas may need an indoor head start.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Start the season right
Plant creosote bush in full sun with at least 6 hours of direct sun, once the soil has warmed and frost risk has passed.
Match the soil
Creosote Bush prefers pH 7 to 8.5 (Growable Ground Plant Database). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. Match watering to the plant's drainage preference and your local rainfall.
Keep it in good form
Prune creosote bush to shape as it grows; the reward is its foliage and structure, not a harvest, so steady upkeep is the whole job.
Where Creosote Bush thrives
Creosote Bush is hardy across USDA zones 7 through 10. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
A USDA zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme winter minimum, so zones 7–10 spans average winter lows from 0°F to 40°F (USDA PHZM 2023). Across the 50 states and DC, that band covers 7 outright and splits 34 more down the middle — and which side of that line your land sits on changes the answer.
Zones 7–10·Where Creosote Bush growsOpen map →
Where Creosote Bush stands, state by state
Creosote Bush is rated for zones 7–10 — a cold floor USDA puts at 0 to 10°F. Across the 50 states and DC, 7 sit fully inside that band, the line runs through 34 more, and 10 sit outside it — and inside every split state, the same line runs on at county grain.
Fully inside zones 7–10
7 states
- Alabama · zones 7b-9b
- Delaware · zones 7a-8a
- District of Columbia · zones 7b-8a
3 of 7 shown
The line runs through
34 states
3 of 34 shown
Creosote Bush’s band covers part of each of these states — which side of the line your county sits on changes the answer, and each state page draws it.
Outside zones 7–10
10 states
- Minnesota · zones 3a-5a
- Montana · zones 3a-6b
- New Hampshire · zones 3b-6b
3 of 10 shown
Winter cold is the limit here — the same plant often works in a container that comes under cover. Each link is that state’s own growing hub.
State zone extents: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM) 2023. A zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme minimum temperature, so a state that splits the band contains the boundary — its own page draws the county line, and a parcel report resolves which side your land sits on.
What grows around Creosote Bush
Growing guides for creosote bush
In rotation planning, creosote bush counts as a Other — beds recover best when other crops don’t follow each other in the same spot year over year. (Growable Ground derivation — crop-rotation group from botanical family)
Good to know
One caution for pet owners — creosote bush is toxic to dogs and cats (mild severity). Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: Cornell Poisonous Plants Database.)
Creosote Bush is a standout pollinator plant — high value to bees and other pollinators. (Source: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.)
Your land is one point inside Creosote Bush's range
This page resolves to the species. Your state page draws the county line, and a report reads the parcel — the soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost dates on your exact ground, which no species average can see.
See if Creosote Bush will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether creosote bush actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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How we know this about Creosote Bush
The figures above are cited per row, not per site: the pH band names this plant’s own source column, the three temperature figures each carry their own, and days-to-maturity cites the publication that actually lists it. All of it comes from the Growable Ground Plant Database — a compilation over FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS, and university Extension sources, published openly with per-field provenance.
Grounded inUSDA PLANTS Database•USDA PHZM•ASPCA
Frequently asked questions
Can I grow Creosote Bush in my zone?
Creosote Bush grows in USDA hardiness zones 7 through 10 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant Creosote Bush?
Most growers plant creosote bush after the last spring frost, once the soil has warmed, leaving enough of the season for its 250-day frost-free need. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does Creosote Bush need?
Creosote Bush needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.
What soil does Creosote Bush need?
Creosote Bush prefers soil pH 7 to 8.5, on fast-draining ground (Growable Ground Plant Database). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Creosote Bush attract pollinators?
Yes — creosote bush's flowers are a strong nectar and pollen source for native bees. (Source: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.)
Is Creosote Bush safe for pets?
Creosote Bush is toxic to pets (dogs,cats) with mild severity. Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: Cornell Poisonous Plants Database.)