Native Plants in Arizona

There is a wide variety of plants that are native to Arizona. There is everything from cactus, to flowers, to trees, and everything in between. Many of these plants are made to survive the hot, dry desert conditions.

One such plant is the Saguaro cactus (carnegiea gigantea), which is also the state flower of Arizona. The Saguaro has a thick columnar stem and several branches that curve upward. The skin of the cactus is smooth and waxy with 2 inch spines on its ribs. It produces both fruit and flowers. The flowers are white with yellow centers that bloom during the months of May and June. They open at night and close again by midday. The fruit is about 3 inches and has a reddish-purple outside with red pulpy flesh on the inside. It is very sweet and is important to many animals that live in the desert. Saguaros grow very slowly at a rate of about 1 inch per year, but reach heights between 15 and 50 feet. The age of the cactus can be estimated by counting the number of arms it has. If it has more than 5 arms, the cactus is at least 200 years old. The Saguaro cactus is protected in the state of Arizona, and cannot legally be removed from where it is growing without a permit.

Growing a Saguaro cactus is fairly easy; however, it does take plenty of patience. When growing the cactus from a seed, be sure to cover the pot with plastic wrap to keep it warm and not to over water it. The soil will need to be watered every 10 days for the first month or so. Beyond that, the cactus needs only to be watered every month. The Saguaro is made to hold water to survive the desert conditions, so it only needs to be watered once in awhile. Be sure you don’t leave your cactus in freezing conditions because it will die.

The Amsinckia (amsinckia intermedia) is a flower that blooms between March and May in the Arizona desert. It grows to about 20 inches high and has small yellow-orange flowers. The leaves of the plant are green and smooth. The Amsinckia has adapted to desert survival by growing small hairs all over. This helps keep the plant from receiving too much sun and burning up in the heat.

The Desert Anemone (anemone tuberosa) is another flower that is native to Arizona. It is a perennial plant that can commonly be found on mountain slopes. The Desert Anemone blooms from late winter to spring with white, pink, or violet flowers. The plant grows to about 16 inches in height. Desert Anemones should be grown in very well drained soil. In autumn, cut the plants down to ground level and they will grow again in the spring.

The Twining Snapdragon (maurandya antirrhiniflora) is a flowering vine that typically grows over shrubs. The flowers bloom from April to October and are purple with a white center. The flowers are almost an inch in width and an inch long. The leaves are smooth and arrow shaped and are about 2 inches long. These plants are only suitable to be grown in a greenhouse and require extra care. The soil needs to be kept evenly moist, and it is a good idea to grow these in a hanging basket because they are poisonous.

The Ocotillo (fouquieria splendens) is a shrub that can be found in many places in the Arizona deserts. It can grow to 20 feet in height. The branches grow upward and have smooth edged green leaves. However, when the primary leaf falls off, the petiole turns into a spine. The Ocotillo has red flowers that grow at the ends of the branches and bloom between the months of February and May. There are a few species of animals that use the nectar of the flowers such as hummingbirds and carpenter bees. The branches of the Ocotillo can be used to make fences by planting their branches into the ground. The Ocotillo is very easy to grow since it does not need watering, but it does need to be in direct sunlight.

The plants that are native to Arizona have adapted special attributes to help them to survive in the desert such as tiny hairs to protect them from the sun and less of a need to be watered. Some are easy to grow, while others can be a bit more difficult, but they all are very unique and beautiful plants.

Sources:

http://www.nps.gov/sagu/planyourvisit/upload/How%20to%20Grow%20a%20Saguaro.pdf

http://www.desertmuseum.org/kids/oz/long-fact-sheets/Saguaro%20Cactus.php

http://www.theflowerexpert.com/content/mostpopularflowers/morepopularflowers/anemone

http://www.plantcare.com/encyclopedia/twining-snapdragon-1232.aspx

http://www.plantcare.com/encyclopedia/ocotillo-2335.aspx

http://wc.pima.edu/Bfiero/tucsonecology/plants/shrubs_oco.htmhttp://wc.pima.edu/Bfiero/tucsonecology/plants/wflow_amsi.htm