Your attitude is pretty much on target! A native plant will have just the right light, moisture, soil and predator attributes to grow successfully without getting out of bounds.

If you move said plant to another area, it may look beautiful & grow fantastic! But without ALL the same elements as its original environment, it may grow out of bounds, or invite other nature that has no enemies to “control” its existence.

MI has a problem with “loosestrife”, a very pretty, easily grown plant that was imported because of “desirable” traits. It was planted along our by-ways to help beautify them. Unfortunately, we didn’t import an insect that helps “control its growth in its native area. So it spread like wildfire as people say. Kudzu in the south is another such plant. To import the insect(s) for control of such plants has had its own bad side, in that these insects have attacked natural vegetation. It is a lost cause as the song about the “Old women who swallowed a fly” illustrates! We cause our own problems!!!

The Nurseryman should have been able to answer Sister’s question.

I have no idea if it’s a desirable garden plant or not. I had to look up “rabbitbrush” to make sure I was spelling it right. Since I moved into the desert myself, my attitude about plants is, “If it grows there, it must belong there. If it doesn’t, then it doesn’t.