Joshua Trees Blooming in Arizona

[Win]

Joshua Trees are one of our favorites, even better when blooming. These were just off I-15 at the Cedar Pockets in AZ. We've been here several times, they were exceptional on Mar 29th. These are actually succulents, not a tree and bloom sporadically. 

[MsAli]

Beautiful!

[gunsil]

Great shots!!

[mohs]

never seen
or maybe not noticed
them flowering
bloom

very gneiss Win !

can't say I ever heard of Cedar Pockets Az
either


so much I don't know

m stlty

o yeah the background Buttes
Rock!

[Rockoonz]

mohs it's far NW corner between NV and UT, we might travel that way next trip north for some new sights.
Starting to learn a bit about tree sized Yucca plants, appears there are varieties and not positive which is the Joshua tree and which is something else.

[jasoninsd]

Great pics Win! Thanks for sharing those!!

[Gem'n I]

Great shots....so much is right in front of us...we just need to look harder.

[pizzano]

Joshua Trees and Mojave Yucca trees get confused often........without getting all scientific, the two most common differences are, Joshua trees seldom exist at elevations lower than 5000' sea level more common between 6000' to 8000'........Joshua tress can bloom several times through their + 100yr life span.  The Mojave Yucca will only bloom once through it's + 20yr life span, and once it blooms it dies.....!

They are related to one and other, but only as far as being of the Agave family......not of the Tequila variety.

[Win]

^^^^^ Not sure that "Joshua Trees seldom exist at elevations lower than 5000' sea level" is correct. The areas we see them are all well below 5000' and I can't imagine them at 8000'.

[pizzano]

Out here in the Calif. deserts, Mojave mostly, we've seen the vast majority thrive between the 6000' and 7000' elevations. We have a few clusters along the back side (northeast/northwest) of Big Bear mtn., where the Mojave valleys abut the mtn. floors at 8000'....as you go further east and south towards the San Gorgonio's, you'll find clusters at 8000' as well.......When I was a kid, we could find them just above 2500'. But, as winter's got less colder at lower elevations, they seem to have slowly died off in large clusters below 5000'. They need very drastic temp changes through the winter and summer to flourish in clusters. Having traveled much through Utah/Arizona, I've noticed them doing pretty well at + 3000', but we know the winter temps out in your lower desserts get much colder than ours.......thus, the difference most likely.

[gunsil]

 From Wiki.


Yucca brevifolia (also known as the Joshua tree, yucca palm, tree yucca, and palm tree yucca) is a plant species belonging to the genus Yucca. It is tree-like in habit, which is reflected in its common names.[4][5][6][7]

This monocotyledonous tree is native to the arid Southwestern United States, specifically California, Arizona, Utah, and Nevada, and to northwestern Mexico[8][dubious – discuss] It is confined mostly to the Mojave Desert between 400 and 1,800 m (1,300 and 5,900 ft) elevation. It thrives in the open grasslands of Queen Valley and Lost Horse

[rockbrain]

Nice shots! A quick DuckDuckGO search gives some info. Joshua trees grow from 1500-6000ft elevation. Joshua trees have leaves about a foot long, Mohave Yucca 4 foot leaves. Yucca can reach 10 feet height and width, Joshua can have 40 foot height and width.

Joshua Tree National Park is 2000-5000 feet elevation.

[pizzano]

I, by no means, pretend to be an authority on the Joshua Agave family tree species........But, I've lived my entire life surrounded by desert habitat. And I'm just happy to see those species living at any altitude 2500' sea level and above, thrive for the 1st time in a very long time, out here in the Mojave influence.
They have been considered to be permanently placed on the National Wildlife endangered species list for some time now.......only regional state laws have protected them thus far.........!

Considering the Joshua is native to the Calif. Mojave and within reduced limits to the Nevada, Arizona and Utah high deserts, what ever WIKI has to say is only as good as the data and history that can be supported, verified and influenced by those knowledgeable enough & who give a poo to keep it real........a friendly and convenient tool to start a conversation with & direction to dig deeper........without getting all scientific........lol

Those photo's are wonderful reminders of how fragile our eco-system is to any climate change over any given period of time, regardless whether that change has been influenced by man or just Mother Natures cycle of evolution....I'll bet 5yrs ago, one would have been hard pressed to find such full clusters of magnificent blooms, such as those, at that or any lower elevation, in the California Mojave influence.......this last winter's influence has made for some wonderful spring Deja Vu........!
   

[RWA3006]

Win I always enjoy your photography.

[mohs]

be remiss if didn't have a Phoenix version of Mr Joshua

[Rockoonz]

My front yard Joshuas seem to be the same. The searches bring very mixed results on what variety these are.

[mohs]

Elevation 👍

[parfive]

Joshua Trees win long term protection in environmental victory

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jun/28/california-protect-joshua-trees-conservation

[vegasjames]

www.nps.gov/jotr/learn/nature/jtrees.htm

[vegasjames]

Southern Nevada.