Top 6 Common Trees Found in Deserts in 2024
It might be surprising to think of trees growing in the desert, but there are Common Trees Found in Deserts, a few that can thrive in dry, arid conditions.
From acacia trees to Joshua trees, there’s a surprising diversity of life in the desert if you know where to look.
However, we’ll explore some of the most common trees found in deserts around the world, and we’ll learn about their amazing adaptations for living in harsh environments. So grab your cactus juice and let’s head to the desert!
The Top Common Trees Found in Deserts
These are the 6 most common desert trees, which may be found in nearly every desert:
1. Palm Trees
Palm trees mostly belong in tropical, subtropical humid conditions, as they cannot withstand too much cold.
They have a wide variety of species, amounting to over 2,600.
They have a long stem, which is unbranched, and have a cluster of long leaves at the top of the stem.
Palms remain one of the most cultivated plants to date.
2. Barrel Cactus
The Barrel cactus is the most common plant found in deserts across the world. Its height can be anything between 1 meter to 10 meters.
The buds of this plant grow during April and the blossomed flower varies in color.
It can be orange, red, yellow, or pink. The spines of the barrel cactus are to be dealt with with extreme care because if the spine accidentally pricks, one may have to take antibiotics to counter-fight its effect.
3. Saguaro
Still, in the cactus family, the saguaro has a huge lifespan of about 150 years, but its growth depends on the amount of precipitation in the deserts.
Their spines grow very rapidly, growing almost a millimeter per day.
Their flowers bloom at night and stay from April to June. The flowers are white and yellow. The locals consume the ruby.
They have over 2000 seeds in each of them which can be easily pollinated.
But these fruits cannot be handpicked, owing to the long spines of the tree. They have to be plucked with the help of a long pole.
4. Desert Willow Tree
Also known as Chilopsis, this is a delicate, small deciduous shrub or tree in the US and Mexico.
The flowers bloom in May and stay on till September. The flowers are light pink and lavender.
The throat and lower lip are beautifully designed with yellow ridges and purple lines. Large bees pollinate these flowers.
It occurs in clusters and can withstand arid conditions, which makes this a favorite desert plant.
5. Organ Pipe Cactus
The Organ Pipe species of cactus is commonly found in the rocky deserts of Mexico and the US.
It has narrow stems that grow straight from a small trunk just above the ground.
These stems rarely grow into branches and spread out but they grow a little every year from the tip of each of the stems.
It takes about 150 years for a plant to reach the mature stage.
6. Desert Ironwood Tree (Olneya Tesota)
One of the most impressive small desert trees is the ironwood tree. This evergreen tree is native to the Sonoran Desert and has leaves that are a bluish-green color.
With the proper pruning, you can grow the ironwood tree as a desert bush or small shade tree. In early summer, purple and red flowers brighten up this desert tree.
Other names for this desert tree are musclewood and hornbeam. These common names refer to the hardwood that the tree produces.
If you live in a scorching climate, plant the desert landscape tree where it gets some shade.
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