Mesquite Tree

Prickly Pear Cactus

Mexican Poppy

Saguaro Cactus

Ocotillo

Teddybear Cholla

Organ Pipe Cactus

Yucca

Chihuahuan
Mojave
Sonoran

Mesquite Tree (mes KEET)
Mesquite trees are a handy helper of the desert. They are a member of the legume family. These trees, and other legumes, improve the soil by adding nitrogen to it. So, not only do they give shade, but the soil around allows many different kinds of plants to grow.

Like other desert plants, the leaves of a mesquite tree have adapted to desert life. They are very small and bunched close together. This helps them keep water from evaporating in the hot sun.

Many animals use the seed pods of the mesquite tree for food. This helps everyone. The animals get the food they need and the mesquite seeds get spread to other places so new trees can grow!

Mesquite trees are home for many desert animals. Owls and other birds nest in the branches, while ground animals find shade underneath.

The mesquite tree can be found in the deserts of North America. They usually grow close to desert streams.

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Chihuahuan
Sonoran

Mexican Poppy
This desert plant grows bright orange or yellow flowers. It is one of the many desert wildflowers that add beautiful splashes of color after a rain. This desert wildflower grows to be about 18 inches (50 cm) tall.

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© 2002 B. Salta

Chihuahuan
Sonoran

Ocotillo (oh-coh-TEE-yo)
The ocotillo plant looks like no other desert plant! In fact, in times of little rain, you might think it's dead.

The tall, skinny stems of the ocotillo have spines. However, it is not a member of the cactus family. After a good rain, it grows leaves that make food quickly so that the plant can flower and make seeds. This might happen more than one time during a season.

The seeds of the ocotillo have "wings" that allow it to travel on the wind. The flowers of the ocotillo are bright red and are a favorite food of hummingbirds.

Ocotillo plants have been used by desert dwellers for a long time. If you cut the stems of the ocotillo at the base and replant them close together in a row, they will re-grow their root system and create a living fence ... a spiny one!

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Sonoran

Areole close up
©2002 B. Salta

Organ Pipe Cactus
The name of this desert plant comes from its tall stems which look a bit like the pipes of an organ. This member of the cactus family can be found growing in the Sonoran Desert ... especially at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in southern Arizona.

Like other cacti, the organ pipe has spines that grow from areoles. These are the starting points for clusters of spines, branches, and flowers to grow. Cacti are the only plants that have areoles.

The fruit and flowers of the organ pipe cactus are food for many desert creatures. Bats enjoy the nectar of the flowers. Many other creatures make a nice meal of the sweet, spiny fruit!

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Chihuahuan
Sonoran

Prickly Pear Cactus
Have you ever wondered what they use to make cactus jelly? Does a little Prickly Pear ice cream sound like a yummy treat? Well, both of these foods can be made from the fruits of a prickly pear cactus.

There are many types (species) of prickly pear. Some grow low to the ground, while others look more like a tree. The fruit of this cactus gives it its name. It is shaped like a pear and it has spines. So, one might say it's full of prickly pears!

The prickly pear has flat stems that store water. Like the ocotillo and cholla, the stems of a prickly pear will grow new roots if stuck in the ground.

Many animals make the prickly pear part of their meal. So do some people. The pads (places where the stems come together) and the fruits are often cooked and enjoyed! However, like other cacti, the prickly pear has sharp spines that must be removed first!!!

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©2002 J. Drake

Sonoran

Saguaro Cactus (suh WAR oh)
Saguaro cacti are the largest cacti in North America. These desert giants may grow to be 60 feet tall (18 meters).

Saguaro roots spread out to gather as much water as they can. The water is stored in the tissues of its tall trunk. The trunk of a saguaro is pleated. This adaptation allows the cactus to expand during times of rain. After the rains, when the cactus is fully expanded, a saguaro can hold up to 1,500 gallons of water (almost 5,700 liters).

Gila woodpeckers, owls, insects, and small desert animals call the saguaro cactus home. Woodpeckers use their sharp beaks to carve out a hole. Owls and other desert birds use the holes when the woodpeckers move out!

Saguaros grow very, very slowly! If you see a saguaro with arms, you can tell that the cactus has been alive for a pretty long time. You see, saguaros don't branch until they are between 50 and 100 years old!

Besides VERY dry conditions, the saguaro doesn't have very many "predators." Most saguaros die of natural causes ... old age, wildfires, lightening, or freezing.

The saguaro is the state flower of Arizona. Here, it is protected by law. However, cactus thieves are responsible for removing many saguaro from the desert. In addition, more humans are moving into the areas where the saguaro live. This can cause stress on the cactus population.

If you want to learn more about the saguaro, click here!

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Sonoran

Teddybear Cholla (CHOY uh)
The teddybear cholla has brown and tan spines. From a distance, they look a little bit like a teddy bear.

Don't be fooled though, these cuddly cacti aren't actually so cuddly! In fact, the teddybear cholla is one of the spiniest cholla plants. The thick spines act as a sort of air conditioner for the plant. By protecting the plant from direct sunlight and wind, they keep the tissues inside cool!

Like other cholla, broken joint pieces of teddybear cholla will start root systems and grow into a new plant. Teddybear joints are carried by animals and, because they can grow new roots, the cholla is able to grow in new places.

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Chihuahuan
Mojave
Sonoran

Yucca (YUHK uh)
Yucca plants are in the agave family. They are evergreen shrubs and trees. The leaves of most types of yucca plants are long, pointed, and stiff.

Native Americans have used yucca plants for many things. They ate the fruit, made rope and mats from the leaves, and used the roots and stems to make soap.

The yucca plant and the yucca moth are an example of how desert plants and animals need each other to survive.

The yucca plant cannot create seeds without the help of the yucca moth. Only yucca moths can carry pollen from one yucca flower to another. Not only that, but the caterpillars of the yucca moth ONLY eat yucca seeds. Because of this fact, these living things are dependent on each other for survival. You can't have one without the other.

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Desert Journal #6

Click on the cactus to download your journal page. Print the page.

Have fun!!!

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