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What Type of Plants Are Found in the Desert?

Deserts occupy a fifth of the world's land surface. A seemingly hostile environment, deserts actually host numerous plants that have adapted to drought and heat. Garnering less than 10 inches of rainfall a year, deserts also have hot days in excess of 100 degrees F and cool nights dropping into the 40s. As a result of these extremes, desert plants have become highly specialized.

Brittle Bush
- The brittle bush, Encilia farinose, grows abundantly in the Mojave and Sonoran deserts. A deciduous shrub, it springs up as a low mound no taller than 5 feet. Its oblong, serrated leaves sprout from woody trunk and short gray hairs cover each leaf in a thick mat, according to Blue Planet Biomes. These hairs play a significant role, insulating the plant from hot days and cold nights, as well as trapping moisture. Bright yellow flowers bloom from March to June.
Desert Lily
- In addition to the cacti, small trees and shrubs that grow in the arid climate of the desert, many wildflowers call the desert land home. The desert lily, Hesperocallis undulata, thrives in the Mojave and Sonoran deserts below an elevation of 2,500 feet. Reminiscent of the Easter lily, this lily bears characteristic cream-colored, funnel shaped flowers. Flower stocks shoot up in spring amidst a bed of long, bluish green leaves with wavy edges, writes the Desert USA website.
Joshua Tree
- The Joshua tree
  
  The Joshua tree, Yucca brevifolia, belongs to the lily family and grows in the protected areas of Joshua Tree National Park and Joshua Forest Parkway. An unusual specimen with spiny leaves, this tree lives for 200 years and grows up to 40 feet tall. Creamy, bell-shaped flowers give off an unpleasant odor. To combat the dry climate of the Mojave Desert where it grows, the Joshua tree has adapted a two-root system, writes Blue Planet Biomes. One, a shallow system, only digs down a couple of feet. The other, denoted by enormous bulbs that get up to 40 pounds, reaches 10 to 30 feet under the soil.
Saguaro Cactus
- The saguaro cactus, Cereus gigantea, according to the Desert USA website lives in the Sonoran Desert in southwestern California and down to northwestern Mexico. It is characterized by thick, fluted columns that grow in clumps and 2-inch spines pepper the ridges. In May and June, clusters of white flowers bloom near the tops of the Saguaro cactus. These beautiful flowers, which Arizona claims as its state flower, bloom in the middle of the night and close midday the next day.

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