Collect the names of some plants in the desert region and compare, find out in what way they are different from plants found in plain
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Answer:
. Pancake Prickly Pear Cactus
The Pancake Prickly Pear is an instantly recognizable species of cactus and is common in areas surrounding the United States and Mexico border. Their “pancake” flat arms can grow up to 7 feet high. It has circular pads arising from a thick, round trunk. The pads are four to six inches long, 9 inches wide, and .75 inches thick and are covered with spines.
barrel-cactus
2. Barrel Cactus
While the Prickly Pear may have size going for it, the Barrel Cactus is one of the most popular cactus varieties for use as succulents. It is also one the most common plant found in deserts across the world. Low to the ground and with a lovely center flower, beware of trying to pick it – the Barrel’s spines can be toxic. The Barrel cactus is found in the Mojave, Sonora, and the Chihuahua deserts. These plants look very beautiful but you got to deal with spines of the barrel with much care as they can be prove to be dangerous.
3. Saguaro Cactus
The Saguaro Cactus most resembles a tree, and it can grow arms up to 40 feet tall. Saguaros live for extremely long times and they are well designed for life in the desert as they are able to collect and store rainwater. The Saguaro Cactus the Sonoran Desert of southeastern California, southern Arizona, and northwestern Mexico.
The flowers of Saguaro Cactus bloom at night and is closed during the heat of midday. The flowers are white and yellow in colour.
4. Lace or Hedgehog Cactus
These lovely small plants are also favorites for use as succulents, as they stay a few inches tall and produce beautiful flowers in the summer. In the desert it is common to see them grouped together (needless to say, always keep your shoes on!). The stems are cylindrical in shape and are up to 1 foot long and 1 to 2 1/2 inches thick. The flowers of Hedgehog Cactus are a beautiful deep red, with many petals that form the shape of a cup. The fruits are red, and edible.
5. Organ Pipe Cactus
The Organ Pipe Cactus is another desert staple, and is a common site in the rockier deserts of the United States and Mexico. Aptly named, the arms of the Organ Pipe grow upwards from a base, creating a silhouette reminiscent of a pipe organ. They have little narrow stems that do not grow into branches. The flowers are purple or light pink in color that bloom at night and is closed during the heat of midday.
6. Brittlebush
This desert shrub produces little yellow flowers, and as its name suggests, is known for the brittleness of its stems. They have historically been used as medicine, glue, and a number of different purposes. It is most common plant of the Mojave and Sonoron deserts that grow as a low, roundish mound 2 to 5 feet high. The flowers on brittlebush grow from March to June and are bright yellow in color. Leaves are broader at the base than at the tip and are about 1-4 inches long.
7. Creosote Bush
Creosote Bush is also known as Greasewood, and is a shrub that can grow upwards of 10 feet. While they can be fragile in their early years, Creosotes grow into extremely hardy plants, and they will overtake neighboring plants that encroach on their water and resources. Creosote Bush is found in the desert slopes and plains of Utah, Nevada, California, Arizona, New Mexico and, Texas. It has small green leaves that are covered with varnish. The flowers are also yellow and about the same size as leaves.
8. Desert Ironwood
This tree grows in the deserts of the Southwest United States, and is known for its incredibly tough word (hence the name), making it not suitable for a variety of typical lumber uses. However, it serves a great purpose in the desert, where it signals bats to migrate based on its flowering pattern. Desert ironwood trees grow only in the Sonoran desert which is known as a hot, dry desert is located in southwestern Arizona, southern California, and the northwestern part of Mexico. The Desert Ironwood is known as a “nurse plant” as it provides a safe place for seed germination, and protects seedlings from extreme cold.
9. Desert Sage
Also known as “Sand Sage,” this small plant produces beautiful flowers during the spring and summer months about 2-3 meters in height. They are hardy and well designed to survive the desert terrain. The flowers are deep blue in color. The special feature of this plant is that it does not need water once it gets established. Like Desert Ironwood, it is also used for medicinal properties as it is most common plant used to treat common cold, headaches, stomachaches, influenza, pneumonia and various eye problems.
10. Desert Marigold
This is an easy one! The Desert Marigold has lovely yellow flowers, like your typical Marigolds, only in the desert! They flower for most of the spring and summer, but often into the fall months as well. The Desert Marigold plant is found in the south western parts of the US and in Mexico. They grow between 10-30 inches and have very hairy leaves that help in blocking UV rays . These flowers start blooming from March and stay till November.