![]() ![]() After growing for decades (although not 100 years as the name suggests), the grayish green plant flowers once, hoisting what looks like a giant spear of asparagus up to 12 feet in the air, then dies. This is the largest of the agaves-that’s right, the same succulent you can thank for tequila and syrup-and the most dramatic. In spring, gorgeous white plumes of blooms are pollinated by yucca moths, which, in turn, incubate their eggs in the blossoms. This sharp-leaved native-not to be confused with the similar-looking Joshua tree-hosts one of the desert’s most fantastic examples of mutualistic pollination. Like your favorite moisturizer, the plump, serrated leaves are especially adept at storing water. The aloe vera known for soothing skin irritations comes from this fleshy, white-flecked succulent. The trick to surviving in the dehydrating sun? The tree conducts photosynthesis through its bark as well as its leaves. Not many trees can hack it in the desert heat, but the feathery neon green foliage of the palo verde provides adequate dappled shade. Look for its distinctive hot pink color as an ingredient in local jams, ice creams, and-of course-margaritas. The pads are used to make nopales, while the fruit is tangy. The prickly pear is notable for being almost entirely edible (provided you remove all the spines first). Large specimens are so desirable they’ve been known to get plucked out of medians by cactus poachers (a real thing!). This squat landscaping staple features a crest of spines that converge at the top to form a bright yellow center. ![]() If the acrid, chemical smell is vaguely familiar, it’s because its oil is similar in smell to the petroleum-based products used to preserve railroad ties and utility poles. It’s likely you’ll smell this scrubby plant, also known as creosote bush, after a desert rain. The fuzziest-looking cacti of all has charming varietals with cute names such as “teddy bear.” Don’t cuddle them! The spines of cholla are particularly stubborn, and “jumping” in this case is an accurate description-get too close and a cholla will try to hitch a ride on your arm. In wet months, the succulent sprouts delicate green leaves. Like the jazz hands of the desert, F ouquieria splendens reaches heights of up to 20 feet, its spiny stems tipped with stunning red flowers. Only found in a very narrow swath of the Mojave desert where elevation and rainfall are optimal, the Joshua tree is, unsurprisingly, losing its habitat due to climate change. This funky, freeform desert dweller is the elder statesman of the region it can survive more than 150 years. ![]() Here’s a guide to 16 plants, some native, some not, that you’re likely to encounter in Southern California’s deserts. For example-did you know that cactuses are only found in North America? The arid biome boasts some of the most unique flora on Earth. ![]()
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