Creosote bushes release chemicals from their roots and leaves that inhibit the growth of surrounding plants, a process known as allelopathy.

The creosote bush is one of the most common and resilient plants in the Sonoran Desert. It plays an important ecological role by using allelopathy, a mechanism in which the plant releases chemicals into the soil to suppress the growth of nearby plants. This helps it reduce competition for resources such as water and nutrients, allowing the creosote bush to thrive in the harsh desert environment. The creosote also serves as habitat for small animals, but its primary ecological function is to control the plant community around it through these chemical signals.