Elephant Tree: Drought-Deciduous Tree of Desert Washes
Elephant tree, Bursera microphylla, grows where water arrives in brief pulses rather than as a steady supply. A dry channel […]
Quiver Tree: Aloe Tree of Southern African Deserts
The quiver tree rises above the sparse ground of southern Africa as a thick-stemmed succulent with the outline of a
Desert Spoon: Rosette Plant of Rocky Desert Slopes
Desert spoon forms a rounded burst of narrow blue-green leaves on dry, broken ground. It is most closely tied to
Soaptree Yucca: Desert Yucca of Dry Grasslands
Yucca elata, widely known as soaptree yucca, rises above the open ground of the Chihuahuan Desert with a crown of
Mojave Yucca: Hardy Yucca of the Mojave Desert
Across the Mojave Desert, low shrubs often shape the horizon. Creosote bush, white bursage, blackbrush and scattered grasses stay close
Ocotillo: Desert Plant That Greens After Rain
For much of the year, an ocotillo can look like a cluster of tall, thorn-covered canes rising from bare desert
Arizona Pincushion Cactus: Small Cactus of Desert Scrublands
The Arizona pincushion cactus sits so close to the ground that it can vanish among gravel, dry grass, limestone fragments,
Claret Cup Hedgehog Cactus: Flowering Cactus of Rocky Deserts
Claret cup hedgehog cactus can remain visually quiet for much of the year, its ribbed green stems blending with sandstone,
Silver Cholla: Cactus of the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts
Silver cholla is one of the most recognizable cholla cacti of the Mojave and Sonoran deserts, though its name can
Teddy Bear Cholla: Dense-Spined Cactus of the Sonoran Desert
Teddy bear cholla is one of the most recognizable cholla cacti of the Sonoran Desert. Its pale yellow spines look
Organ Pipe Cactus: Columnar Cactus of the Sonoran Desert
The organ pipe cactus (Stenocereus thurberi) is a many-stemmed columnar cactus of the Sonoran Desert. Instead of growing as one
Beavertail Prickly Pear: Flat-Padded Cactus of the Mojave Desert
Beavertail prickly pear (Opuntia basilaris) is one of the clearest plant signals of the Mojave Desert: low to the ground,
Fishhook Barrel Cactus: Hook-Spined Cactus of the Sonoran Desert
The fishhook barrel cactus is one of the most recognizable barrel cacti of the Sonoran Desert: a ribbed, heavy-bodied plant
Joshua Tree: Iconic Plant of the Mojave Desert
The Joshua tree, Yucca brevifolia, is one of the clearest living markers of the Mojave Desert. It is not a
Creosote Bush: One of the Toughest Desert Shrubs
Creosote bush (Larrea tridentata) is a resinous evergreen shrub of the Mojave, Sonoran, and Chihuahuan deserts. It looks modest from
Saxaul Tree: The Desert Tree That Stabilizes Sand
The saxaul tree is one of the clearest examples of how a desert plant can shape the land around it.
Welwitschia: Ancient Desert Plant of the Namib
Welwitschia mirabilis is one of the Namib Desert’s most unusual plants: low to the ground, long-lived, cone-bearing, and built around
Saguaro Cactus: Giant Cactus of the Sonoran Desert
The saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) is the tall, branching cactus most closely linked with the Sonoran Desert. It is not
Desert Agriculture: How People Farm in Arid Regions
Desert agriculture begins with a simple limit: plants need water, while arid regions lose water fast. Yet farming still happens
Famous Deserts in History: Trade Routes, Wars & Exploration
Deserts often look empty on a map, yet history tells a different story. The Sahara, Taklamakan, Gobi, Arabian Desert, Mojave,
People Who Live in Deserts: Nomadic Desert Cultures
Desert nomadic cultures grew from a plain fact of arid land: water, grass, shade, salt, and safe routes are rarely