greasewood

[ grees-woo d ]

/ ˈgrisˌwʊd /

a shrub, Sarcobatus vermiculatus, of the amaranth family, growing in alkaline regions of the western U.S., containing a small amount of oil.

any of various similar shrubs.

Western U.S. mesquite.

Also called grease·bush

[grees-boo sh] /ˈgrisˌbʊʃ/.

Origin of greasewood

An Americanism dating back to 1830–40; grease + wood¹

Of course it worked toward the low place where grew the greasewood bush.

Johnny Bear |E. T. Seton
These were further screened by occasional willows or greasewood growing on the banks.

The Killer |Stewart Edward White
The plants cover extensive reaches of valley and hill-slopes, and are often called "greasewood."

The Wild Flowers of California: Their Names, Haunts, and Habits |Mary Elizabeth Parsons
There was no trail, and a road had to be cut through the greasewood and sage brush.

The Story of the Mormons |William Alexander Linn

Cotton-tails huddled beneath the greasewood brush and nibbled at the grasses.

Overland Red |Henry Herbert Knibbs

greasewood

/ (ˈɡriːsˌwʊd) /

Also called: chico a spiny chenopodiaceous shrub, Sarcobatus vermiculatus of W North America, that yields an oil used as a fuel

any of various similar or related plants, such as the creosote bush