Desert Plants
The physical and behavioral adaptations of desert plants are as numerous and innovative as those of desert animals. Xerophytes, plants that have altered their physical structure to survive extreme heat and lack of water, are the largest group of such plants living in the deserts of the American Southwest. Cactus, xerophytic adaptations of the rose family, are among the most drought-resistant plants on the planet due to their absence of leaves, shallow root systems, ability to store water in their stems, spines for shade and waxy skin to seal in moisture. The Ocotillo also has a waxy coating on stems which serves to seal in moisture during periods of dormancy. Desert plants must act quickly when heat, moisture and light inform them it's time to bloom. Different varieties of plants will be in bloom from day to day, and even hour to hour, since some open early and others later in the day.
Desert Plant Research Genetic Information
Pictured are desert groundcovers grown in experimental plots at the Arboretum. Since its founding, the Arboretum has cooperated in many research projects with the University of Arizona, state and federal government agencies and independent scientists. Over the years, the Arboretum has conducted investigations on the propagation and use of desert plants for erosion control, agriculture, and water-saving landscaping in arid environments. Tele-Garden at USC Visit an unusual garden at the University of Southern California being tended by people from all over the world with a web-controlled robot. If you're not suffering from a major case of net-lag after your virtual garden tour of the world, GardenNet offers more places to visit. And finally, if we want to move from the virtual to the real, we can plan our next garden visit by consulting GardenNet's list of U.S. gardens arranged by state or arranged by type of garden.
Organ Pipe Cactus NM Home Page
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument celebrates the life and landscape of the Sonoran Desert. Here, in this desert wilderness of plants and animals and dramatic mountains and plains scenery, you can drive a lonely road, hike a backcountry trail, camp beneath a clear desert sky, or just soak in the warmth and beauty of the Southwest. The Monument exhibits an extraordinary collection of plants of the Sonoran Desert, including the organ pipe cactus, a large cactus rarely found in the United States. The 21-mile Ajo Mountain Drive winds along the foothills of the Ajo Mountains, the highest range in the area. Palo Verde Trail (2.6 miles round trip) goes between the visitor center and the campground. Depending on the time available, plan to take one of the scenic drives and get out of your vehicle for a short walk either at a point of interest on the drive, or on one of the trails near the visitor center or campground.
The Sonoran desert just may be the "best" desert on Earth. The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum even has a "Frost Busters" squad that scurries about lighting kerosene heaters and covering sensitive plants whenever low temperatures threaten the grounds with frost. Literally thousands of people a year phone the Museum to ask what to do about wild animals: a woodpecker is pounding on the roof; a pack rat is putting cholla cactus onto the engine of the car; a rock squirrel is digging under the garden wall; a mother rabbit has left her bunnies alone (actually a sign she's off feeding, not that she's abandoned her young). He and his staff grow plants to exhibit, to help stave off extinction, and - a few - for spring and fall plant sales, which serve both as fund raisers and as a means of encouraging desert gardeners to save hassle and water by using plants adapted to arid conditions. Museum facilities are too "high tech" to use for plants intended for sale, although each year Mark and his staff offer a few "collector's items," exceptional plants too hard for other growers to propagate but feasible to maintain, once established. He cages them as protection from wild rabbits and javelinas, an unlikely threat in the wild, but animals not to be trusted here because the plants are so pumped-up with water they're unusually palatable.
The physical and behavioral adaptations of desert plants are as numerous and innovative as those of desert animals. Xerophytes, plants that have altered their physical structure to survive extreme heat and lack of water, are the largest group of such plants living in the deserts of the American Southwest. Cactus, xerophytic adaptations of the rose family, are among the most drought-resistant plants on the planet due to their absence of leaves, shallow root systems, ability to store water in their stems, spines for shade and waxy skin to seal in moisture. The Ocotillo also has a waxy coating on stems which serves to seal in moisture during periods of dormancy. Desert plants must act quickly when heat, moisture and light inform them it's time to bloom. Different varieties of plants will be in bloom from day to day, and even hour to hour, since some open early and others later in the day.
Possible Uses of Desert Plants
Possible uses of Desert Plants - By Shantiell Doustin, Albert, Quanita, Edlin The root of a jack in the pulp is medicine for a rattle snake bite.The Raulwolfia, Cortisone, Chaulmoogra, Cinchona, Mexican Yam, and Quinine are all medical plants. There aren't any poisonous plants for eating or for medicine.We use desert plants for medicine and for food. Plants are very helpful for us to use.The Torrey Yucca the Arizona Walnut and the Desert Huckleberry are some edible plants. Plants are eaten by large animals like deer, cattle and by small animals like rabbits and raccoons. You make the Saguaro Pie Crust like this: First a half cup of Saguaro seeds then half cup of rolled oats, half cup of whole wheat flour, half cup wheat germ, one third cup of oil, sprinkle of salt, then one tablespoon of apple juice.
Desert plants have adapted to the extremes of heat and aridity by using both physical and behavioral mechanisms, much like desert animals. Plants that have adapted by altering their physical structure are called xerophytes. Xerophytes such as cacti, usually have special means of storing and conserving water. Phraetophytes are plants that have adapted to arid environments by growing extremely long roots, allowing them to acquire moisture at or near the water table. Other desert plants using behavioral adaptations have developed a lifestyle in conformance with the seasons of greatest moisture and/or coolest temperatures. These type of plants are usually (and inaccurately) referred to perennials -- plants that live for several years, and annuals -- plants that live for only a season.
The mission of the Desert Botanical Garden is the display, interpretation, research and conservation of desert plants. An important component of the Garden's conservation program is membership in the Center for Plant Conservation (CPC). As a result of participation in the CPC program, the Garden currently houses rare germ plasm of 36 species from desert regions of the southwestern United States, including central and southern Arizona and New Mexico, and western Texas. The Garden has a large seed bank facility where germ plasm is maintained in long term storage and viability and germination testing are conducted. Many living examples of the rare plant collection are on display in the Garden, and plans are in place to develop a Conservation Trail exhibit which will interpret the rare plant program. Taxonomic and ethnobotanical studies of rare Agave species are a major focus of the rare plant research program.
Desert Survivors Inc Edible Plants
In the time before written history, before interstate highways and grocery store chains, native people relied on the animals and plants of the Sonoran Desert they could hunt and gather for their food. It is estimated there are at least 300 varieties of native plants that have been used as food. Mesquite Beans can be ground for flour. Oak Acorns as nuts or ground for flour. Lemonadeberry As lemonade (of course), jam or berries. Jojoba Nuts can be roasted and eaten or ground and added to flour.
Title Plants and Insects A Special Relationship
If you have ever visited the desert, you have probably seen the flowering Yucca Plant. These short, green, plants have short, bell-shaped flowers which produce a 6-chambered fruit. This moth plays a crucial role in the life and existence of the Yucca Plant. When the female moth visits the flower on the plant, she brings with her a ball of pollen, from the last flower she visited. But the plant also provides an essential service in the life of the moth. Thus, without the plant, there would be no fruit, and no food for the moth to be.
Following is a menu of desert plants. Each listing includes either a scanned image of living plant material or an accurate pen and ink illustration, along with pertinent facts and a "gee, whiz factor" noting an interesting fact or complete lack of one. Some of the files take longer to load than others due to the amount of detail involved.
The Desert Botanical Garden, founded in 1937, is a living museum dedicated to desert lands research and education. This collection includes 250 rare, threatened and endangered plant species from southwestern USA and northern Mexico, as well as exotic species from southern Africa, Australia, and other desert climates. As a participating member of the Center for Plant Conservation, CPC, the Garden staff collect and save seed and pollen from the Garden living plant collection in order to provide future generations of these unique desert plant species. An Internet connection made available by the Arizona State University libraries in Tempe makes it possible for Desert Botanical Garden research library users to find information throughout the world on desert plant species. Other side trails include the Plants & People of the Sonoran Desert Trail (an interactive exhibit that includes a small pond as well as a saguaro forest), the Sonoran Desert Nature Trail (a bit of a hill climb to view the natural habitat from a hilltop shelter), and the Center For Desert Living Trail (demonstrating how residents of desert lands can enjoy desert beauty while they benefit from making low water use a part of their everyday life). Summer visitors (May through September) should plan to visit the Desert Botanical Garden as early in the morning as possible (the Garden opens at 7:00 a.m.) or enjoy the Garden in the evening (it is open until 10:00 p.m.) to avoid the heat of the day.
Studies the structure and function of the human body, beginning with the cell. Oregon birds are emphasized with weekend field trips to popular birding areas such as Malheur and Klamath marshes, the Cascades, Oregon coastal areas, Sauvies Island, and others. A study of the ecology of plants and animals of North America's major deserts including the Great Basin, Sonoran, Chihuahuan and polar regions. Explores the natural processes that form our Northwest coastal environment: Shoreline processes, oceanography and environmental hazards combining to accentuate further topics on the ecology of marine birds and mammals, tidepools, and the succession and structure of coastal dunes and coastal forests. Introductory studies of principles, theories and applications of plant biology, including cytology, anatomy, morphology, genetics, physiology, systematics, and ecology. Introduction to botany: general plant cell, mitosis, meiosis, alternation of generations; anatomy and morphology of plant tissues and organs and their importance to the environment and society.
Ripened fruit of the saguaro is used in the rainmaking ceremonies of Arizona's Tohono O'odham people. The agave is another example of a plant that has long been associated with the economy and culture of southwestern indigenous people and Mexicans. They used the agave's leaf fiber to make rope, baskets, mats, thatching and coarse cloth. Young flower stalks and fruit were eaten, and the heart of the plant was roasted as a staple food. Today, we are rediscovering the value of familiar dryland plants and are exploring new ways to capitalize on their economic and agricultural resources for the world's arid regions. The native jojoba's bean-like seeds yield a liquid wax used in manufacturing plastics, floor wax, automobile finishes, cosmetics and machine lubricants.
Structure-Function Relations of Warm Desert Plants
For centuries, biologists have been extremely interested in the structure of desert plants as examples of natural selection in response to harsh environmental conditions. A lack of in-depth understanding however, has led to an unfortunate litany of errors and misconceptions about desert plant adaptations. This volume examines plants of low-land tropical and subtropical arid deserts, providing exciting new insights and clearing up misconceptions. Readers will be surprised to discover that many features commonly ascribed to desert plants are actually more typical of plants of semiarid sites, and that some of the characteristic structures of desert plants have never been widely discussed. All rights reserved.
Adventuring in the California Desert
Please click here to view this page using our new shoppng cart system. California's desert regions offer a rich diversity of natural attractions, including 600-foot-high sand dunes, colorful badlands, dramatic waterfalls, spectacular granite peaks, extinct volcanoes, mile upon mile of wildflower displays, and over 2,000 species of plants and 500 species of animals. The most comprehensive guide available to this unique environment, Adventuring in the California Desert covers nine regions, including such popular areas as Death Valley National Monument, Antelope Valley, the Mojave Desert, Joshua Tree National Monument, the Salton Sea, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, and much more. - Tips on desert safety and survival, weather conditions, clothing and equipment, and special requirements for travel by car - Area maps and access information, suggested tours, lists of public campgrounds and conservation organizations, and facilities for food, water, and gas Written by a well-known desert conservationist, Adventuring in the California Desert offers detailed guidelines for getting the most enjoyment out of this unique area without harming its fragile environment.
It is also home to waterfowl, waders, shorebirds and local wildlife. The Arboretum protects a segment of the Arizona Uplands Sonoran Desert. For the casual visitor, a walk through the Arboretum is an orientation to the plants of the world's deserts and semi-arid regions. For the plant enthusiast and scientist, the Arboretum is a rare opportunity to observe and closely examine a myriad of arid-adapted plants. Along these trails, thousands of water efficient plants from arid and semi-arid regions of North America, South America, the Near East, Africa, Central Asia and Australia arrest visitors' attention. In addition to cacti, there are long, spiny branched ocotillo, green-stemmed palo verde, thorny acacias, low growing mesquite, desert hackberry, and golden-flowered agaves.
I dread that day, a day without plants. Everything would be lost, our house, our home. The world would be a landscape, a desert with no lifeforms. There would not be food for the animals that we use for meat. They need to eat the plants, but the plants would be gone, the meat would be gone. I dread that day.
Webster's Dictionary defines the desert as arid, barren land. Although that may be true of most deserts, the Sonoran Desert is anything but barren. Known around the world for it's pristine beauty the Sonoran Desert is one of the greenest deserts on earth. Transcending the concept of a desert due to it's abundant plant and animal life, it draws millions of visitors from around the globe to view it's exotic beauty and captivating charm. the desert hare and some are not such as the Javelina (Hav a lEEna). To learn more about life in the desert, visit these sites that offer excellent information on cities located in Arizona.
Hello from Plants of the Southwest in high, dry New Mexico. But 'drought' is our word - really it's the normal condition in the arid West, and there's a huge, beautiful, mostly unexplored flora growing here that finds the weather and soils perfect. Presented here for your joy and independence - from expensive watering, fertilizing and mowing - are beautiful, powerful Southwestern plants. Please browse our section on grasses, wildflowers, trees and shrubs and traditional vegetables. © Entire contents of this web-site copyright 1997 Plants of the Southwest, Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA. Please send questions & Comments about this site to: contact@plantsofthesouthwest.com Web Site Design by Xynergy Interactive.
Although it may not be apparent to the casual observer, animal and plant life abounds in the southwestern deserts of the U.S. Life is profuse here because both desert animals and plants have acquired special adaptations to solve the dual problems of desert survival -- excessive heat and very limited supplies of water. Local environmental conditions (soil, elevation, latitude, direction, to name a few) are also significant in determining the makeup and character of individual desert plant communities and the various animal species which depend on them for things like food, water, shelter and shade. The ability to survive the harsh desert environment is often enhanced by mechanisms that involve symbiosis, in which members of both the plant and animal kingdoms live together in a mutually beneficial relationship, each depending on the other for survival. Considering the many ingenious ways animals and plants have learned to cope with this arid environment, and the numerous types of terrain available, it is really not so surprising that such a large and varied population of life forms inhabits the deserts. When humans no longer maintain a symbiotic relationship with arid lands, when they begin to drastically alter the environment making it less life-sustainable for plants and animals, it is called desertification. The major earmarks of desertification are: Declining groundwater tables Salinization of topsoil and water Reduction of surface waters (streams and lakes) Unnaturally high soil erosion Desolation of native vegetation Loss of natural biological diversity (number of species) The result of desertification is reduction of biological productivity and impoverishment of ecosystems.
