The Desert plants Are very peculiar, since they are specimens that are not found in any other ecosystem. This rarity is what makes them attractive.
The desert climate is characterized by low precipitation and high humidity during the day and the drastic drop in temperature at night. This ecosystem also stands out for the flora that inhabits it.
Desert plants have adapted to extreme heat and aridity using a mixture of physical and behavioral mechanisms. These are very similar to those used by some animals that inhabit the same ecosystem.
Plants that adapt to the climate by altering their physical structure are known as Xerophiles . Plants of this type, such as cacti, have special methods for storing and preserving moisture. They usually have no leaves, which allows them to reduce perspiration.
The plants Frothophiles , On the other hand, are those that adapt to the arid climate by means of the growth of long roots that allow them to obtain humidity or approach to underground water sources.
Certain desert plants, through adaptations in their behavior, have developed lifestyles that vary according to the humidity or temperature of the different seasons.
This type of plants, usually, although not the most correct term, are known as perennials. In contrast, annual plants, also called ephemeral, are those that live only throughout a season or season.
The perennial desert plants survive, mostly, staying asleep during the dry periods of the year and reviving when the humidity increases. Ephemeral plants, however, germinate after the rainy season and complete their reproductive cycle very quickly, blossoming lavishly for a few weeks.
There are different types of plants that grow in the deserts and, although their presence and variety is different in different parts of the world, in most of them we can find flowers, cactus and trees.
Here is a list of the main cacti, flowers and trees that can be found in the deserts around the world.
List of 20 desert plants
1- Biznaga
The biznaga is a desert cactus that can grow to a maximum height of 1.2 meters and an amplitude of up to 90 centimeters approximately.
It has yellow flowers that bloom, usually during the spring. Its foliage is rough and its color is usually golden. The biznaga has a slow growth rate, but actually requires a very small amount of water to subsist and grow.
When they are in a group, the biznagas give a very peculiar and characteristic view of the desert.
2- Beavertail Cactus
This type of cactus has short spines, can grow between 18 and 36 inches in height. Their stems are of greenish gray color, wide and flat, which makes them look like a beaver's tail, hence the name it receives.
Its oval leaves grow in clusters with flowers that arise from the union of them. Sometimes they produce oval fruits, with many seeds, of little more than 2 centimeters of diameter.
These types of plants can be found in the deserts of Mojave and Sonora, as well as in Utah and Arizona.
3- Agave americana
Also known as maguey or American aloe, it is a species of flowering plant native to Mexico and the United States (particularly the states of New Mexico, Arizona and Texas). It is currently cultivated around the world as an ornament plant. Can live between 10 and 30 years.
4- Choya
This name represents more than 20 species of the gene Opuntia Of the cactus family in the North American deserts.
It is thus called various types of cactus with cylindrical stems composed of joined segments. In fact these stems are modified branches that fulfill different functions like storage of water, photosynthesis and flower production.
As with other types of cactus, the dog has tubers on the stems, small protrusions with sharp spines. The thorns are covered by colorful leaves that give it its peculiar appearance.
5- Banana yucca
Also called cassava of dates or cassava baccata, it is a species of cassava common in the deserts of the southwest of the United States and northwest of Mexico. Its name comes from the characteristic form of banana that have their fruits.
This plant has leaves of between 30 and 100 centimeters in length of a greenish blue color. Florea between the months of April and July, depending on the altitude at which it grows.
6- Cactus Organ
This cactus that grows in the form of columns is the second largest species in the deserts of the United States, because its stems can grow up to 6 meters in height. Instead of having a single central stem, this plant can have groups of 5 to 20 stems forming branches that grow at floor level.
It produces fruits that lose their thorns when it ripens and whose red pulp becomes edible. Organ Cacti are characteristic of the Sonora deserts in Mexico and Arizona in the United States.
7- Tree of Joshua
This tree is the largest cassava type and only grows in the Mojave Desert. The spectacle of its perennial leaves, green and sharp, does not exist anywhere else in the world.
Its height varies between 4 and 12 meters, with a diameter between 30 and 90 centimeters. It is said that his name was chosen by the Mormon pioneers, since his figure resembled the prophet Joshua , According to the Old Testament.
Referring to Fig. - Desert willow
This plant is native to Mexico and the Southwest of the United States, its scientific name is Bignonia linearis . It is a plant that grows in the form of small tree trunks with capricious shapes.
They are plants that grow very fast and require total exposure to the sun, although they can withstand temperatures as low as 15 degrees below zero.
9 - Arizona Poppy
It is a flower with multiple petals of orange color and a characteristic spot of red color in the center, very bright. It grows commonly in this state of the United States between the months of July and October.
10- Juniper
It is a plant native to the American Southwest. There are several species of this tree and are characteristic for their appearance of being half alive and half dead at the same time, as well as for its fragrant aroma.
This tree is a food source And resources for a variety of wild animals, such as birds and mammals that consume their foliage and seeds. They belong to the family of cypresses, to which cedars also belong.
eleven- Green stick
It is a small tree of strange aspect that grows in the desert of Sonora as well as in the American southwest.
It has adapted to the inclement weather of the desert. It usually has dense and hanging branches, irregular shapes and can grow to a height of 6 meters.
12- Ocotillo
Native to the Sonoran Desert, this plant grows easily and in great quantity, aided in its pollination by hummingbirds who like their flowers. Its leaves fall during the winter and re-bloom during the months of higher temperature.
13- Poison Ivy
This plant was one of the first to be discovered by the colonizers who came to the territory that would later be the United States, noting that contact caused itching and could produce blisters.
It has long leaves that grow around a central stem that are green or red, depending on the season. The active ingredient that causes urticaria in humans is the Urushiol oil .
14- Wheel
This plant is a symbol of the North American West. Its appearance is that of the skeleton of a normal shrub.
Its shape can be the size of a small soccer ball or become as big as a car. When rolling through the desert, this plant spreads its seeds.
15- Mesquite
It is a leguminous tree native to Mexico, originated in the desert region of the state of Tamaulipas. It blooms between spring and summer and produces fruits called pods.
The wood of this tree is one of the most appreciated and valuable in the United States. The Spanish colonizers used it in the construction of ships.
16- Mojave Cassava
Known as"Spanish sword,"this perennial plant has several ascending branches or bayonets between 60 and 120 centimeters long and between 3 and 6 centimeters wide.
It can grow up to 6 meters in height. It is native to the deserts of Mojave and Sonora, Mexico.
17- Desert Sotol
This native plant of the north of Mexico is used for the elaboration of the alcoholic drink called Sotol .
It is a perennial plant with a central stem and can reach heights of up to 1.5 meters. It has sharp and thin leaves, up to 100 centimeters long, blue-gray in color.
18- Opuntia Santa Rita
This type of cactus native to the North American deserts and northern Mexico has thick leaves, called cladodes, of purple color, covered with thorns. It grows in the form of clusters and can reach up to a height of 2 meters.
19 - Iron stick
This plant grows only in the deserts of Sonora, in Mexico, as well as in Arizona. It is one of the tallest trees.
The Ironwood is an important source of shade and food for several animal species that inhabit the ecosystem. It is a perennial plant and maintains its green color throughout the year, while the humidity conditions are adequate.
twenty - Nopal
Its scientific name is Opuntia And refers to a species of cactaceae with culinary uses. The name comes from the language Nahuatl And alludes to its thick leaves or edible palettes. As a food, it is an excellent source of minerals and vitamins. It is a fundamental part of the Mexican diet.
References
- Desert Plants and trees. Taken from ehow.com.
- Desert Plants. Taken from planetbiomes.org.
- Desert Plants. Taken from desertusa.com.
- Desert Plants. Taken from wikipedia.org.