Tag Archives: Sonoran Desert

April 12, 2024 · 10:48 am

Jojoba

Meet the jojoba shrub (Simmondsia chinensis), a fascinating plant renowned for its versatile uses and resilience in arid climates. Native to the deserts of the American Southwest, this evergreen shrub has captured the attention of skincare enthusiasts, environmentalists, and sustainable industries alike. We in the Sonoran desert love it for its resilience in our landscape.

Natural Beauty Secret: Jojoba oil, extracted from the seeds of the jojoba (pronounced ho-ho-ba), is a prized ingredient in skincare products. Rich in vitamins E and B, as well as antioxidants, jojoba oil nourishes and hydrates the skin. It’s a staple in moisturizers, lip balms, and hair care products, offering a natural solution for healthy skin and hair. Who doesn’t need this in our dry climate?

Eco-Friendly Crop: Beyond beauty, jojoba cultivation presents environmental benefits. Thriving in harsh desert conditions, jojoba requires minimal water and pesticides, making it a sustainable alternative to traditional crops. Its deep roots help prevent soil erosion, and it can even be used in land reclamation projects.

A Perfect Shrub for Desert Homes: Here in the Sonoran Desert the jojoba is right at home. It is a native not only to the Sonoran desert, but it calls much of the Southwest home. These tough plants thrive in our well-drained soils with sand or you can amend it with decomposed granite. Jojoba prefers full sun dry climates and can tolerate saline and nutrient-poor soils.

Diverse Applications: The versatility of jojoba extends beyond cosmetics. Its oil is a common ingredient in industrial lubricants, biofuels, and even inks and paints. Additionally, jojoba meal, a byproduct of oil extraction, serves as a nutritious animal feed.

Symbol of Resilience: In a world increasingly concerned with sustainability and climate change, the jojoba shrub symbolizes resilience and adaptability. Its ability to thrive in harsh conditions while offering a multitude of benefits underscores the importance of harnessing nature’s gifts responsibly.

Whether you’re seeking a natural skincare solution, exploring sustainable agriculture, or simply marveling at the wonders of the plant kingdom, the jojoba shrub offers a captivating journey into the intersection of nature and human ingenuity. Let’s celebrate this remarkable plant and its contributions to our world!

Further reading:
National Library of Medicine
University of Arizona, Campus Arboretum

This post presented by the letter ‘J’

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Tagged as desert garden, flowers, garden, garden plants, Gardening, jojoba, native-plants, Plants, Simmondsia chinensis, Sonoran Desert

April 6, 2024 · 7:00 am

Fairy Dusters and Fig Trees

One of the great things about living in the Sonoran Desert are the variety of plants that grow here. For the letter ‘F’ in the A to Z Blogging Challenge, I give you the Fairy Duster (Calliandra californica) and Fig Tree (Ficus carica).

Fairy Duster

The Fairy Duster has to be about the cutest sounding plant around, but it is not the prettiest (IMHO). Although the spikey flowers are reminiscent of a duster you could associate with a fairy, the plant itself is very woody. When we first moved into our new home, I had three of these in the front yard. I now have zero. I was sad that none of them survived the winters up here (we are a bit higher than Tucson so the winters are just cold enough that we have snow and frost). Yet, they thrive just below us in and around Tucson.

Historically, the fairy duster’s roots have been used for a red dye used in leather work. Decoctions were used in folk medicine to treat cystitis, kidney ache, urethritis, prostate inflammation, cramps, fever, and toothache.

Further reading on the fairy duster can be found on these websites:
U of A’s Campus Arboretum and Natives Now SoCal.

Fig Tree

The humble fig has over 800 species and are mostly found in the tropics. There is one that I’m happy to say, grows in my yard, the Black Mission Fig (Ficus carica ‘Mission’). I am most excited about this tree because I planted it as a 6″ cutting (it is now about 8″ tall and has 10 leaves) from a larger fig tree. Most likely the “parent” fig is in the Master Gardeners’ demonstration gardens here in Tucson.

Fig trees are very hardy and can grow in Tucson’s tough soil with little to no added fertilizers. They have two harvest seasons so fruit is available nearly all year long. Because the fig is deciduous, avoid planting this near a pool or a patio. Also keep in mind that they grow to 20-30 feet high AND wide so give them enough space to spread out. Their roots also spread far and wide taking water from any resource available including other plants. A good spot to plant this fun fruit tree is near a basin that will provide plenty of water during monsoons.

Have you ever noticed the absence of figs in the produce section of the local grocer? Most fruits and vegetables that find their way to the grocery store are usually pick, packed, and shipped weeks before arriving at the produce section. Figs have a very short shelf life of only a week or two so unless you live by a fig grove, the possibility of finding fresh figs is pretty low. If you do happen to find fresh figs you’re in for a treat. The range of flavors across the many varieties run from sweet to nutty.

What I’m most looking forward to is the shade a fig can provide. I can see it now, sitting under the canopy of large lobed leaves with tea and a good book. I can’t think of a better way to spend an afternoon.

Learn more about fig trees:
Growing Common Figs in the Low Desert
Growing Edible Figs

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Tagged as Black Mission Fig, fairy duster, Fig Tree, Gardening, shrubs, Sonoran Desert, Trees

April 4, 2023 · 6:00 am

Cactus

A couple of years ago we moved to the Tucson area where the cactus grow tall and their needles are in Mother Nature’s sewing kit to pierce heavy leather. Saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea) are the world’s largest cactus so we’ll dedicate this post them. These gentle giants of the desert are amazing. Not only do they grow to 40 feet tall, but they also have arms that can curl around to look like a hug, or even a chair. Be aware though, if you sit on one you will never sit anywhere else for quite sometime. Their two inch needles will leave you with many holes in your backside.

Here are a few fun facts about the saguaro:

Saguaro is pronounced suh-waa-row.
They grow slowly. Only about 1-2″ per year.
When fully hydrated a mature cactus can weigh 3,200 – 4,800 pounds
The root system is pretty shallow (5-6 inches deep), but it stretches outward as far as the plant is tall. It does have a single tap root that will extend into the ground a few feet. Considering how tall these gentle giants are, that’s not very deep.
The woody skeleton can be used to thatch a roof, build a fence, or furniture parts.
“Saguaro Boots” (holes that birds built their nests) can be used as a water container.
A saguaro can have anywhere from zero arms to over 25 and usually curve upward.

One particular saguaro that I love to see is the crested saguaro. This is something that a few saguaro like to do, but not all. It is unclear why this happens but every now and again a saguaro’s growing tip (that’s the top) produces a fan like form. They are somewhat rare, and there are a few “hunters” who have spent years documenting and counting these amazing cactus. There are a few right near Tucson and I have (so far) seen three out of the thousands that are in the area.