Chaparral (Creosote Bush) - Larrea tridentata var. Mexicana

Native to the Southwestern US, chaparral is one of the oldest plants on earth, with a stand in the Mojave desert estimated to be over 11,000 years old.
The stems and leaves of the bush are covered with a sticky resin that screens leaves against ultraviolet radiation, reduces water loss, and poisons or repels most herbivores. This resin is used in herbalism and to protect wood from insects.
It received its name "creosote bush" due to the smell that comes from it when it rains. Its extremely bitter taste keeps it safe from animals that would otherwise graze upon it. It is also regarded as one of the most adaptable desert plants in the world; it was one of the first to grow back in Yucca Flats after the 1962 nuclear bomb tests done there.

Native Americans in the Southwest held beliefs that it treated many maladies, including sexually transmitted diseases, tuberculosis, chicken pox, dysmenorrhea, and snakebite.
The Coahuilla Indians used the plant for intestinal complaints and tuberculosis.
The Pima drank a decoction of the leaves as an emetic, and applied the boiled leaves as poultices to wounds or sores. Papago Indians prepared it medicinally for stiff limbs, snake bites, and menstrual cramps. The shrub is still widely used as an herbal medicine in Mexico

Due to concerns over potential Kidney and Liver issues it is recommended that it only be used externally.

Magical:
Chaparral is sacred to Native American peoples of the southwest. It is burned alone or as part of a greater smudge ritual to cleanse the home or working area. Because the resin of the Chaparral bush prevents other species from growing near it, it can be used for protective magic especially for protecting a home.

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