Hot Desert Plants

Some times the desert is in bloom

Blooms occur after rain storms

The flowering plants are ephemerals – only there for a short time

The germinate, grow, flower, produce seed and die back quickly after rain

The seeds lie dormant until it rains again

Desert Plants include scrub / bushes which have to be adapted to survive in the extremely dry conditions

The plant can have adapted

. Leaves

• Stems and

• Roots

The creosote bush has waxy leaves to reduce water loss and

The leaves have real aroma to put animals off eating them.

The creosote bushes are spaced wide apart as each plant has shallow widespread roots so they can get water even if there is just a light shower that only wets the surface

Creosote bushes are very hardy and can tolerate soils that are very alkaline. The evaporation brings poisonous salts to the surface.

Creosote bushes grow out in a circle from the original plant and can survive for thousands of years. The old core dies but the circumference plants survive.

Cactii are only found in North America. The Saguaro cactus is the state flower of Arizona.

Its leaves are tiny thorns – so it doesn’t get eaten,

The stem is green for photosynthesis

And the concertina folds swell up to store water after rain

The roots are long to get underground water stored deep underground.

There can be storms in the desert and saguaros can collapse.

Saguaros can live for 200 years

only produce arms after 75 years

only mature after 150 years

Can grow to 15metres high

can store 800 litres of water

Desert plants grow slowly and live a long time

Some plants store water in root bulbs

A Kalahari Desert bushmen obtaining vital water from plant roots