Enjoy Our Nature & Help Protect It
California Suncup, also known as Southern Suncap Camissoniopsis bistorta Family: Onagraceae, Evening Primrose Fun Facts The California suncup is an important food source for bees and other pollinators, who are attracted to the sweet nectar produced by its flowers. The plant is also used in traditional Native American medicine to treat a variety of ailments, […]
Desert Dandelion Malacothrix glabrata Family: Asteraceae, commonly referred to as the aster, daisy, composite, or sunflower family Fun Facts The flowers of the Desert Dandelion consist entirely of yellow (sometimes white, often towards the outer edge of the flower) ray florets, with flat tips that have four small notches. The center of the flower is […]
Gravel Ghost, also known as Tobacco Weed, Parachute Plant Atrichoseris platyphylla Family: Asteraceae, commonly referred to as the aster, daisy, composite, or sunflower family Fun Facts The genus name, Atrichoseris, means ‘chicory plant without hairs’, referring to the fruit, and the specific epithet, platyphylla, means ‘flat-leaved’. (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atrichoseris) The plant is adapted to the desert […]
Hairy Desertsunflower, also Desert Sunflower Geraea canescens Family: Asteraceae, commonly referred to as the aster, daisy, composite, or sunflower family Fun Facts Desert Sunflowers are known for their ability to thrive in extreme desert environments, where they can endure high temperatures, low moisture, and poor soil conditions. Their roots can extend up to 10 feet […]
Joshua Tree National Park is named after the Joshua trees (Yucca brevifolia) native to the Mojave Desert. Originally declared a National Monument in 1936, Joshua Tree National Park was re-designated as a National Park in 1994. Joshua Tree National Park includes parts of two deserts, each an ecosystem whose characteristics are determined primarily by elevation: the […]
White Sands National Park was originally a National Monument in 1933 and was re-designated as a National Park only in 2019. White Sands lays at the heart of the Tularosa Basin and wave-like dunes of gypsum sand have engulfed 275 square miles of desert, creating the world’s largest gypsum dunefield. How did White Sands National […]
Saguaro National Park was originally designated as a National Monument in 1933 and re-designated as a National Park in 1994. Watch this 20-minute video by the National Park Services to learn about Saguaro National Park. Video: A Delicate Balance – Video from the National Park Services & The Western National Parks Association Saguaro National Park […]