Turpentine Bush
Ericameria laricifolia
Turpentine Bush is a fine-textured aromatic Arizona native that forms a compact mound on lean irrigation and carries many small yellow flower heads in early fall.
Stan Shebs / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 — license
Not sure if this plant belongs near your pool, wall, pavers, or foundation?
AE reviews microclimate, root intrusion risk, and soil compatibility.
Schedule: Weekly to twice-weekly in summer, less in cooler months.
Emitters: 1–2 emitters per shrub adjusted seasonally.
Most desert-adapted shrubs prefer drying out between waterings.
Arizona yards have very different microclimates. West-facing walls, glass, artificial turf, pavers, travertine, porcelain, and pool decking all increase reflected heat. AE considers these before confirming placement.
- Low root impact
AE verifies pool deck, paver, foundation, wall, and utility clearances before final planting.
Quick Facts
- Plant type
- Shrub
- Mature size
- Typically about 2 ft tall and 3 ft wide; more irrigation can make it larger, open and rank
- Growth rate
- Slow to moderate when grown lean
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water use
- Very low
- Bloom season
- Profuse small yellow flower heads in early fall
- Flower color
- Yellow
- Foliage
- Fine linear green resinous foliage
- Evergreen / Deciduous
- Evergreen
- Thorns / spines
- None
- Litter level
- Medium
- Pool area
- Use with care
- Pet/kid placement
- Use with care
- Maintenance
- Very low
- Privacy value
- Low
- Shade value
- Low
- Native
- Arizona native
About Turpentine Bush
Ericameria laricifolia is native to high-desert regions from California through Arizona, New Mexico and Texas into Mexico, commonly around 3,000–6,000 feet. It is Arizona native and usable in the lower desert, but it is not exclusive to the Phoenix valley floor. This evergreen woody subshrub is typically about 2 feet tall and 3 feet wide when grown lean. Regular irrigation can make it larger, open and rank, so mature size and refinement depend on management. Small linear resinous leaves release a noticeable turpentine-like aroma when handled; some people appreciate it and others do not. Profuse small yellow flower heads in early fall are the signature seasonal display. Full sun, including low-desert heat, suits it when establishment and drainage are sound. Give deliberate establishment irrigation, then use very low supplemental water with complete dry-down. Excess irrigation undermines the tight mound and increases maintenance. ASU reports cold hardiness near 5°F, but age, provenance, event duration, soil moisture and exposure affect injury and recovery.
Best uses: A small-scale xeric filler, bank cover or fall-color drift with full sun, lean irrigation, natural mounding form and clearance from pool, entry and fire-feature edges
AE Designer Opinion
Design Uses
- Small xeric filler
- Bank or slope cover
- Repeated early-fall color drift
- Revegetation accent with managed establishment
Care & Maintenance
- Water deliberately through establishment, then shift to very low supplemental irrigation with full dry-down.
- Avoid regular high-water schedules that loosen the mound.
- Use light heading or very light shaping in spring only if needed.
- Avoid hard cuts and frequent shearing because dry-grown recovery is slow.
- Remove dry interior material where pool cleanliness or ignition clearance requires it.
- Replace an exhausted plant rather than repeatedly carving old wood.
Common Homeowner Mistakes
- Overwatering until the mound becomes open and rank
- Frequent shearing into a geometric ball
- Hard cutting a dry-grown plant and expecting rapid recovery
- Calling the foliage scent universally pleasant
- Treating Arizona-native status as proof of exclusive Phoenix valley-floor origin
- Making an absolute cold or fire-safety promise
Placement Warnings
⚠ Cold performance around 5°F remains conditional on age, provenance, duration, moisture and exposure. Fall flowers draw pollinators; dry interior material and flower or seed litter need site-aware cleanup. Aromatic foliage is not universally desirable, and this plant is not guaranteed fire-safe, allergy-safe, pet-safe or child-safe.
- Allow the natural 3-ft mound outside narrow walks and entries.
- Keep flower, seed and insect activity back from pool coping where cleanliness matters.
- Maintain clearance from fire features and remove accumulated dry interior material.
- Separate from high-water zones that would drive rank growth.
AE reviews final placement based on sun, irrigation, drainage, mature size, and overall design.
Pairs Well With
- Brittlebush
- Red Yucca
- Deer Grass
More Arizona Plants Like This
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