Plant Guide

This section provides introductory information about the plant species that are exhibited along the Scenic Drive. You might enjoy taking our Sonoran plant and animal trivia test before you review this guide. [Read More]

You can bring a copy of this page with you when you visit the Scenic Drive. Even better, bring a comprehensive field guide like the one mentioned below. And remember, most of the plants described here are protected by very tough and strictly enforced Arizona law. 

An important source was A Field Guide to the Plants of Arizona by Anne Orth Epple published by Falcon.  The plant pictures included in this section were provided by volunteers Bob Hart and Howard Myers.

Scenic Drive Plant List

Barrel Cactus.  Helpful to desert wanderers.  As a compass, it normally leans south.  Can be "topped" for liquid drink. [Read More]

Blue Palo Verde. Blue-green bark and tiny leaves make the Spanish name "green stick" appropriate for Arizona's state tree. [Read More]

Buckhorn Cholla. The skeletal remains of this branched shrubby cholla are sold in novelty shops. [Read More]

Catclaw Acacia. The short, curved spines on this shrub's branches are the bane of hikers and riders.  Also called "Wait-a-minute". [Read More]

Crucifixion Thorn.  Named for its cross-shaped spines, this tall shrub has light green branches like a palo verde. [Read More]

Chain Fruit Cholla.  Its fruit never ripens.  Next year's fruit will grow from this year's and so on. [Read More]

Chuparosa.  This twiggy shrub drops its leaves in cold or extreme drought.  Hummingbirds prefer its red flowers. [Read More]

Creosote Bush. After a rain it gives off a musty odor - the basis of its Mexican name. "hediondilla", or "little stinker". [Read More]

Desert Broom. Guess what pioneers used the branches for? Native Americans chew the stems to ease a toothache. [Read More]

Desert Hackeberry. An evergreen shrub that provides a convenient hiding place for animals. Its orange berries are a wildlife favorite. [Read More]

Foothills Palo Verde. Arizona's state tree has yellow-green bark and appears as a mass of pale yellow during springtime bloom. [Read More]

Greythorn. The green stems of this shrub are covered with a grayish, wax-like coating. Gambel's quail enjoy its fruit. [Read More]

Hedgehog.  Like the animal, this small cactus is covered by 2" to 3" spines. Its fruit tastes like strawberries. [Read More]

Ironwood. Named for the strength of its wood, one of the world's heaviest at 66 pounds per cubic foot. [Read More]

Jojoba.  Miners and pioneers used this shrub's seeds to brew a bittter substitute for coffee.  This shrub is browsed by mule deer. [Read More]

Mormon Tea.  Mormon pioneers in Arizona used this shrub's dried stems to make tea. Its roots help bind the soil. [Read More]

Ocotillo. A thorny, queer shrub that is planted in rows by ranchers to create living fences, also called coachwhip. [Read More]

Prickly Pear. An edible cactus used to make jelly. Its fruit and pads are favored by javelina. [Read More]

Saguaro.  Giant kings of the desert, they produce the state flower.  Take 50 years to grow arms. [Read More]

Teddy Bear Cholla. They look friendly but if you brush against them beware, they become painful human magnets. [Read More]

Triangle Leaf Bursage. The Foothill's most prevalent shrub serves as nursemaid protecting young cacti from foraging animals and the desert's harshness. [Read More]

Velvet Mesquite. This small tree was an important fuel source for early settlers. The seed pods are eaten by coyotes. [Read More]