©2002 B. Salta

Aloe (AL o)
The aloe plant comes from Africa and Madagascar. There are over 300 species (types) of this plant and it can be found in many desert areas.

Aloe vera (AL o VER ah) is one of the aloe species. It can be found in the desert areas of North America. The juice of this common plant is heated to make a powder and gel. Aloe powder and gels are used in medicines and health care products. If you have a burn (or sunburn) a little aloe vera gel will make it feel much better!

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Mojave
Sonoran

Barrel Cactus
This common desert cactus is covered in spines. There are many kinds of barrel cacti. Some are shaped like a column and others are shaped like a ball. The barrel cactus has only one stem.

Some people believe that barrel cacti are full of drinkable water. This is not true. However, like all cacti, this plant has special tissues for water storage. Because the stems of the barrel cactus are in charge of water storage, this plant is called a stem succulent.

Long ago, the pulp of this cactus was made into cactus candy. However, this caused many barrel cacti to be destroyed. Now the candy is made from the fruits of the prickly-pear cactus.

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Sonoran

Boojum - also called Cirio (See ree oh)
Boojum trees only grow in a small area of the world. They can only be found in the Sonoran Desert. This tall, slow growing tree can live for a very long time ... several hundred years.

At first, you might think that the boojum is a cactus. It is not. It is a deciduous tree that grows leaves after a rain and then drops them in the hot, dry months of summer. This helps the boojum tree hold as much water as possible in the driest months of the year.

The boojum's name comes from a story written by Lewis Carroll. In the story a boojum is a mythical being found in faraway places. The other common name for this tree is cirio. Cirio is Spanish for candle. Does the shape of the tree help you understand this name?

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©2002 B. Salta

Sonoran

Bur sage
Bur sage is a Sonoran Desert plant with an important task. It's known as a "nurse" plant. Nurse plants shield other young plants from the hot sun and protect them from animals.

If you are looking to find a Bur sage shrub, look in gravely bajada areas. They grow there with other trees and shrubs. Look closely under the Bur sage and you are likely to find a young saguaro or other cactus.

Bur sages need the wind to pollenate. The fruit of the Bur sage are small and have short spines. If you walk too close, these may stick to you like a "bur" ... that's where this plant gets its name.

Like many other desert plants, the Bur sage is dormant in the hot summer months and grows leaves in seasons where there is rain.

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Cardon Cactus
Cardons can be found in North American deserts with mild winters (for example, the Sonoran Desert). Like the barrel cactus, it's a stem succulent. However, if the winter is too cold, the stems of this giant will freeze!

Giant is a good way to describe the cardon cactus. It stands taller than almost everything else in the desert! It's also known as "elephant cactus." This name comes from the fact that its trunk often looks a little like an elephant's leg.

Cardons are home for many desert animals.

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©2002 B. Salta

Century Plant
The Century Plant is a member of the agave (ah GAH vee) family. Its name comes from a mistaken belief that these plants live for 100 years (or that they bloom once every 100 years).

The truth is that the Century Plant does not live for 100 years and it does not take that long for it to bloom. They live between 7 and 55 years. However, after a century does bloom, the flowers and leaves die. Blooming uses up all its water and energy. However, the roots stay alive to sprout another plant.

The leaves of this desert plant grow in a tight circle. This helps protect any new leaves that are growing from the sun and wind.

Century plants have been used to make ropes, thread, nets, and other woven items. The heart of a century plant is used to make food and drinks.

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Chihuahuan
Mojave
Sonoran

Creosote Bush (KREE uh soht)
In the deserts of North and South America, these are the most common desert shrubs. They are evergreen ... they don't drop their leaves.

One of the reasons it is very common is it can live through very dry conditions better than almost all other desert plants. Its root system helps out a lot! The creosote bush has long, far-reaching roots that search for water wherever it's available.

The leaves of a creosote bush are covered with resin. The oils and resin of the plant help it keep in moisture. The resin also causes many animals to find dinner somewhere else!

The creosote bush has a unique smell after it rains. The smell is a lot like the smell of a wood preservative called creosote. Not surprisingly, that's how the creosote bush got its name!

The leaves of the creosote bush were often used in remedies. When prepared, they are said to help with the pain of arthritis and insect stings.

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Chihuahuan
Great Basin
Mojave
Sonoran

Hedgehog Cactus
These prickly little cacti are one of many small species (types) of cacti found it the desert! In fact, in North and South America, there are more small cacti then there are tall, treelike cacti!

You are likely to find this cactus growing the the crevices of rocks or under another desert plant. This helps keep them safe and sheltered from the hot sun!

The fruits of the hedgehog cactus can be eaten ... when the spines are removed!

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Mojave

Joshua Tree
This tree is so special, it has a National Park named after it!!! It is very common at both Joshua Tree National Park (California) and the Joshua Forest Parkway (Arizona). Both of these places are in the Mojave Desert.

Joshua trees are a type of yucca plant that can grow to be 15 to 40 feet tall. Like the creosote bush, Joshua trees grow well in lower parts of the bajada areas of the desert. Its leaves are pointed and sharp.

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Sonoran

Jumping Cholla Cactus (CHOY uh)
If you are walking through the desert, this is one cactus to look out for! The sharp spines on this cactus are said to jump on anything that passes too close.

In truth, the spines don't really jump. However, if you touch them, they easily come out of the cactus. If they get caught in skin, they can leave a nasty wound and are not easy to get out!

There are a lot of different types (species) of chollas. The jumping cholla is the largest of the bunch. They can be found in the Sonoran Desert in North America.

The jumping cholla is also called the chain fruit cholla. This name comes from the way its fruit grows ... in long chains that hang down from the cactus stems. The fruit of this cactus also has spines. The spines attach to someone or something and eventually drop to the ground. It is here that another jumping cholla will begin to grow.

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