Joshua Trees and other Joshua Tree National Park, CA General Tips

Favorite Thing: Joshua Trees were given this name by Mormon settlers who felt that upon their arrival, Joshua welcomed them, with its raised arms. The Joshua Trees have indeed an odd look and are really amazing for those who have never seen them ! This gives to the Park a truly remarkable sight and a landscape of its own.

Leave a Comment

Add to Your Trip Planner | Post a Question | Write a Tip

Joshua Tree: More Joshua Trees

Tip Rating:

Written by JLBG

on May 15, 2005

Favorite Thing: Joshua tree is Yucca brevifolia. Besides the common name of Joshua tree, it is also called Yucca draconis or Yucca arborescens. It grows only in the Mojave Desert (southwestern region of North America) : southwestern Utah, southern California, western Arizona and southern Nevada.

Leave a Comment

Add to Your Trip Planner | Post a Question | Write a Tip

Joshua Tree: Joshua "tree"

Tip Rating:

Written by JLBG

on May 15, 2005

Favorite Thing: Joshua tree is not an actual tree and has no wood. It belongs to the Lilly family. On this picture, in early spring, a Joshua tree has flower cluster but they are not yet in full bloom. The flower clusters are alike those of the Mojave Yucca (see following tips and photos)

Leave a Comment

Add to Your Trip Planner | Post a Question | Write a Tip

Joshua Tree: Joshua tree

Tip Rating:

Written by JLBG

on May 15, 2005

Favorite Thing: Joshua tree exhibits live dagger-like leaves. When these leaves die, they dry. The lower part remains attached to the stem of the plant and forms a rough cover around the trunk which protects Joshua tree in case of bush fires.

Leave a Comment

Add to Your Trip Planner | Post a Question | Write a Tip

Joshua Tree: Older Joshua tree

Tip Rating:

Written by JLBG

on May 15, 2005

Favorite Thing: The older the Joshua tree, the more variegated branching it will have. The typical Joshua tree has raised branches but when it gets older, as it has no wood but only fibers, the branches tend o bend towards the soil. The oldest Joshua trees look exhausted of having for so long raised arms !

Leave a Comment

Add to Your Trip Planner | Post a Question | Write a Tip

Joshua Tree: Joshua tree and mountains

Tip Rating:

Written by JLBG

on May 15, 2005

Favorite Thing: This picture was taken in the early evening, at sunset, and shows the silhouette of a Joshua tree with in the background two ranges of high mountains that might be the Santa Rosa mountains but I am not absolutely sure of their identification.

Leave a Comment

Add to Your Trip Planner | Post a Question | Write a Tip

Flora / Fauna: Mohave Yucca

Tip Rating:

Written by JLBG

on May 15, 2005

Favorite Thing: Mohave Yucca (Yucca schidigera) is also called Adam's Needle, Bear Grass, Dagger Plant, Our-Lord's-Candle, Soapweed, Spanish Bayonet and sometimes mistaken with Joshua Tree,
It grows naturally only in Mojave and Sonoran deserts of southeastern California, Baja California, southern Nevada and western Arizona.

Leave a Comment

Add to Your Trip Planner | Post a Question | Write a Tip

Flora / Fauna: Mohave Yucca, the trunk

Tip Rating:

Written by JLBG

on May 15, 2005

Favorite Thing: The trunk of the Mohave Yucca is grayish-brown and 6 to 12 inches in diameter. Most of the trunk is generally covered by old, dry leaves. Although old plants may produce a trunk up to 2.5m tall, stemless rosettes are also common.

Leave a Comment

Add to Your Trip Planner | Post a Question | Write a Tip

Flora / Fauna: Mohave Yucca, the leaves

Tip Rating:

Written by JLBG

on May 15, 2005

Favorite Thing: Mohave Yucca is an evergreen shrub or small tree which has a few upright branches and bayonet-like leaves (hence its names of Dagger Plant or of Spanish Bayonet) from 2 to 4 feet long and 1-1/2 inches wide. The leaves have markedly filamentous edges

Leave a Comment

Add to Your Trip Planner | Post a Question | Write a Tip

Flora / Fauna: Mohave Yucca, close-up on the leaves

Tip Rating:

Written by JLBG

on May 15, 2005