The Joshua Tree (Yucca brevifolia) is a type of Yucca found only in the Mojave Desert. They grow in sandy soils in arid areas and can grow in 1,300 and 5,900 ft elevation. They are hardy plants that can go without water for a long time and is thought to have a lifespan of 140 years! The amount of time it can live is unknown because the Joshua tree has no growth rings, which makes telling it’s age almost impossible.
The Joshua trees leaves are sharp with a pointed spear-like tip at the end to deter predators. The Joshua trees flowers grow on large stalks upward on the tops of it’s branches, and are the main food source of the Yucca Moth.
The fruit are eaten by lots of things including birds and insects. The older fruits are all seeds, where as the newer fruits have very little, the Native Americans used to bake these and eat them.
Photo credits go to Bernard Gagnon for the first image. Delange.org for the second image, and Pascal Buadar for the third image.
Mojave Desert Wildlife 