Plants of Mojave National Park

In his classic turn-of-the-century book, The Desert, John C. Van Dyke wrote, “Nature does not bend the elements to favor the plants and animals; she makes the plants and the animals do the bending.” Life in the desert requires adaptation, not only for visitors, but for plants and wildlife as well.

Most people think of the desert as devoid of life except for a cactus or two. But most desert areas support diverse populations of plants and animals. The varied landforms and range of altitudes in the Mojave, as well as the localized presence of water, create a number of specific ecological communities. They include:

Joshua Tree—High Desert Woodland

Probably the most distinctive of the Mojave Desert communities, the Joshua tree woodland is found at altitudes from 2,500 to 4,500 feet, on well-drained desert slopes. In Mojave, the Joshua tree woodland can be found at Cima Dome, Ivanpah Valley and Lanfair Valley.

The Joshua tree provides shelter for a number of small desert animals, particularly rodents, such as the kangaroo rat, desert wood rat, and ground squirrel. Birds, including the pinyon jay, loggerhead shrike and Scott’s oriole, make their nests in the gnarled branches. Reptiles inhabiting the community include the chuckwalla, desert night lizard and desert tortoise. The yucca moth enjoys a symbiotic relationship with the Joshua tree. The moth fertilizes the trees’ flowers by transporting pollen from stamen to pistil; some of the germinated seeds then serve as food for the moth larvae.

Other members of the Joshua tree woodland include: Barrel cactus, chollas, hedgehog cactus, and beavertail cactus, as well as the Mojave yucca, California juniper, Utah juniper, paperbag bush, spiny tetradymia, desert bunch grass, galleta bladder sage, creosote bush and buckwheat.

Creosote Bush—Low Desert Scrub

This drought-tolerant community is the most common in Mojave, found primarily in the low, dry valleys at less than 2,000 or 3,000 feet in elevation. A particularly good example thrives in Wildhorse Canyon, near Hole-in-the-Wall. Most of the creosote bush community consists of widely spaced shrubs which grow three to six feet tall.
The creosote bush, which is the most recognizable plant in this community, is a hardy plant that withstands prolonged periods of drought. The creosote bushes growing in Soggy Dry Lake (southwest of Mojave National Preserve), are said to be the world’s oldest living things. Called King Clone, they are estimated to be more than 10,000 years old.

Also characteristic of this community is the so-called “Devil’s Garden,” a grouping of several types of cactus interspersed with boulders and other rock formations.
Other members of the community include brittlebush, desert mallow, ocotillo, burrobush, indigo bush, dye bush, desert lily, Bigelow’s cholla, silver cholla, teddy bear and buckhorn cholla, and pincushion.

Desert Dry Woodland

Dry, sandy wash communities are found throughout the preserve, wherever water carves its way after a thunderstorm or extended rainy period. Usually found in valleys beneath the mountains, these dry drainage areas quickly fill with an enormous volume of water following storms. These flash floods carry boulders, rocks, shrubs, and any other debris that cross their course.

Desert willows, with their long taproots that seek a permanent water supply, are common along washes. Their pink-lined trumpet-shaped flowers, long pods and slender leaves makes them easily identifiable.

Other plants that grow along drainage washes include mesquite and cat’s claw, two related species that bloom with yellow flowers. Desert holly, desert almond and several wildflower species flourish here after winter rains.

Pinyon-Juniper Woodland

This community is found in desert mountains between 3,500 and 6,000 feet in elevation. In Mojave National Preserve, pinyon-juniper woodlands can be explored in the New York, Providence and Ivanpah ranges, as well as Clark Mountain.

Higher elevations, cooler temperatures and greater amounts of moisture than occur in low-lying valleys allow the growth of pinyon pine, California and Utah juniper and scrub oak. Other species typically found include black bush, box thorn, Mojave yucca, silver cholla and desert bunch grass.

Riparian Woodlands and Marshes

Found along streams such as Piute Creek and along the Mojave River in Afton Canyon and near Camp Cady, this community’s year-round water supply supports trees such as cottonwood, willow and mesquite. These native species, however, are threatened by the growth of the nonnative tamarisk, which was introduced to the area from the Mediterranean more than 100 years ago. The invasive tamarisk, also called salt cedar, consumes great amounts of water, and tends to choke out the other trees. Efforts to remove the tamarisk must be very aggressive to be effective; chain saws and strong herbicides are required. Each year volunteer workers spend countless hours clearing riparian areas of the tenacious invader.

The Desert in Bloom

Wildflower displays are especially delightful in the desert. Brightly colored blossoms contrast vibrantly with the neutral-hued desert environment. But wildflowers bloom only when conditions allow. There must be plenty of evenly spaced winter precipitation, and warmth, but not too much heat in the spring. Kelso Dunes, Ivanpah Valley and the Cadiz Dunes (just south of Mojave), are three areas where wildflowers can be expected when the conditions are right.

Coreopsis, encelia, desert primrose, desert verbena and the blooms of the Mohave mound cactus are just a few of the more common Mojave wildflowers. Many writers and poets have been inspired by the unlikely desert blooms.

The plants and animals of the desert, confronted continually with the harshness of their environment, have made remarkable adaptations in order to survive. Desert visitors can help ensure their survival by enjoying, observing and photographing the numerous species, but not disturbing them in any way.

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