Desert Diversity

1
Desert Diversity

• Thriving in a Dry Place

2
Plant Adaptations

• In the Sonoran Desert areas of Saguaro
• National Park plants must be able to live
• in a place that gets less than 12 inches of
• rain a year, where temperatures can reach
• 115 degrees and the sun shines more than
• 300 days a year!

3
Plant Adaptations

• In places that are not so dry, plants are
• known for their large leaves like a
• maple trees. But in the desert, leaves
• must change so they will not lose water
• and dry up in the heat. These special
• changes for the desert environment are
• called adaptations.

4
Plant Adaptations

• Use the photos in this presentation and
• the materials and instructions you get
• from your teacher to explore the
• changes to leaves that have allowed
• desert plants to thrive in a dry place!

5
Palo Verde Tree

• The Palo Verde tree is the State Tree of Arizona,
  home of Saguaro National Park.

• Research What does palo verde mean? (Hint
  its Spanish.)

6
Creosote-bush

• One of the most common plants in the Sonoran
  Desert, the creosotebush smells like rain when
  its oils are released into the air during storms.

• Research Creosotebush is greasy like creosote
  but what is creosote?

7
Mormon Tea

• Mormon Tea was used has a refreshing and
  medicinal beverage by Native Americans and
  settlers alike.

• Research Instead of flowers, Mormon Tea has
  male and female cones. What plant in your area
  has cones?

8
Jojoba

• Jojoba seeds are a source of an excellent oil
  that is used instead of whale oil. The plant
  that saved whales.

• Research Find out one common product in your
  house that may have jojoba oil.

9
Ocotillo

• Ocotillo has bright red, nectar-rich flowers that
  attract hummingbirds in spring.

• Research What does ocotillo mean? (Hint
  its Spanish.)

10
Yucca

• The Yucca flower is the State Tree of New Mexico,
  and common in its Chihuahuan Desert.

• Research Find out one common product in your
  house that may have yucca extract.

11
Agave

• The Agave plant stores water in its leaves for 15
  to 30 years. Then it grows a flower stalk, sets
  seeds, and dies!

• Research Find out one product in an adult drink
  (Margaritas!) that comes from agave.

12
Saguaro Cactus

• The Giant Cactus can grow to nearly 60 feet and
  weigh 20 tons or more!

• Research What state has the Saguaro flower as
  its state flower?

13
Brittlebush

• Look at the pictures of the dry season and wet
  season Brittlebush. Its your call how does
  brittlebush change its leaves for the seasons?
  (There are at least two answers!)

• Dry Season

• Wet Season

• Can you guess why it is called Brittlebush?

14
Desert Diversity

• Bring your green paper when you visit
• Saguaro National Park and use it to figure
• out how other desert plants have changed
• their leaves to survive!
• All pictures were taken at the Saguaro National
  Park East Visitor Center, August 2011
• Photos J. Wallner Finger model V. Powers