Plants

Joshua tree is one of the most characteristic plants of the Mojave Desert and extends southward to the Mojave-Sonoran Desert ecotone. This species grows from southern California, Mexico, and western Arizona eastward into southern Nevada and southwestern Utah.

A rounded, silvery-gray desert shrub growing a foot and a half to about three feet tall. The light-colored leaves, produced by salt in the plant, are an adaptation to reflect sunlight and reduce its need for water. The distinctive, twisted, toothed leaves on the plant provide an appearance resembling the European holly but they are not related.

Creosote Bush is known to attain ages of several thousand years; some creosote bush clones may be the earth's oldest living organisms. The age of the largest clone in Johnson Valley, California, is estimated at 9,400 years. The average estimated longevity of creosote bush may be about 900 years.

Mesquite trees usually in most of their range are the size of a shrub. Older trees can reach a height of 20 to 30 ft. They have narrow, compound leaves 50 to 75 mm (2 to 3 inches) long that are sharply pointed.