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Joshua Tree
Yucca brevifolia
  
About Joshua Tree (Yucca brevifolia) 18 Nurseries Carry This Plant Joshua Tree is a native tree-like monocot that grows from southern California to Utah. Although it grows to tree size, it behaves like a Yucca in every other respect. It tends to grow in the high desert at elevations from 1600-6600 feet, though it grows up to 11,000 feet in the White and Inyo Mountains. It is exposed to lower winter temperatures than other parts of southern California. In locations where it is common, such as the Mojave Desert, it forms large colonies known as Joshua Tree Woodland. The leaves are stiff, long (6-9 inches), narrow and sharply pointed on the tips. The flowers are greenish-white held on a long panicle and pollinated by a moth. Around 25 species of birds use Joshua trees as nesting sites. Because of its slow growth rate and its very specific requirements, it is not often used in typical residential gardens. However, it could be a great choice for a larger garden in a desert or semi-desert area.
Plant Description
Plant Type
Plant Type
Shrub, Succulent

Size
Size
5 - 20 ft tall
35 ft wide

Form
Form
Rounded, Upright Columnar

Growth Rate
Growth Rate
Slow

Dormancy
Dormancy
Evergreen

Fragrance
Fragrance
Slight

Flower Color
Flower Color
White, Green

Flowering Season
Flowering Season
Spring

Wildlife Supported
 
Numerous birds and insects

 
Butterflies & moths hosted ( 1 confirmed , 4 likely * ) SHOW ALL

Landscaping Information
Sun
Sun
Full Sun

Moisture
Moisture
Extremely Low, Very Low

Summer Irrigation
Summer Irrigation
Max 1x / month once established

Nurseries
Nurseries

Ease of Care
Ease of Care
Moderately Easy

Cold Tolerance
Cold Tolerance
Tolerates cold to -20° F

Soil Drainage
Soil Drainage
Fast

Soil Description
Soil Description
Requires fast draining, coarse grained alluvial soil. Soil PH: 6.0 - 8.0

Common uses
Common uses
Hedges, Deer Resistant, Bird Gardens, Butterfly Gardens

Propagation
Propagation?
From seeds.  For propagating by seed: No treatment.

Natural Setting
Site Type
Site Type
Dry places, high deserts such as the Mojave Desert, Antelope Valley, and portions of Death Valley National Park

Climate
Climate
Annual Precipitation: 3.8" - 22.6", Summer Precipitation: 0.20" - 2.65", Coldest Month: 33.9" - 61.6", Hottest Month: 61.4" - 87.8", Humidity: 2.30" - 41.40", Elevation: 748" - 7544"

Alternative Names
Common Names: Izote De Desierto, Joshua Tree Woodland


Sources include: Wikipedia. All text shown in the "About" section of these pages is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Plant observation data provided by the participants of the California Consortia of Herbaria, Sunset information provided by Jepson Flora Project. Propogation from seed information provided by the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden from "Seed Propagation of Native California Plants" by Dara E. Emery. Sources of plant photos include CalPhotos, Wikimedia Commons, and independent plant photographers who have agreed to share their images with Calscape. Other general sources of information include Calflora, CNPS Manual of Vegetation Online, Jepson Flora Project, Las Pilitas, Theodore Payne, Tree of Life, The Xerces Society, and information provided by CNPS volunteer editors, with special thanks to Don Rideout. Climate data used in creation of plant range maps is from PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University, using 30 year (1981-2010) annual "normals" at an 800 meter spatial resolution.

Links:   Jepson eFlora Taxon Page  CalPhotos  Wikipedia  Calflora


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