osote bush may also reproduce vegetatively. A single plant may fragment into independent ramets (Cox 193-199). Plant growth, however, is limited by both water and nitrogen availability.
Also, competitive interactions between neighboring plants determine the spatial arrangement of their roots. These superficial root systems are often well-developed laterally, and may extend far beyond any given plant's canopy (Brisson & Reynolds 1693-1702). The roots of L. divaricata secrete an inhibitor that keeps other plants from growing too near (Sweet 21). Such factors generally interact to produce populations of regularly distributed shrubs.
The Larrea species are very slow-growing. According to Vasek, stem diameter increases at a rate of 0.6 to 0.8 millimeters per year (Ernest 1684-1692). An evergreen plant, creosote bush may produce new leaves throughout the year. However, pulses of productivity are generally associated with different seasons. For example, partial foliation of L. divaricata takes place
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