49 Creosote Bush Mojave Desert

It is one of the best examples of a plant that tolerates arid conditions simply by its toughness.

Creosote bush mojave desert. We established plots on the north and south facing sides of l. Description the creosote bush is the most characteristic feature of north america s hot deserts. Creosote bush is the most widely distributed shrub of the desert environment. Creosote bushes larrea tridentata form islands of fertility that influence annual plant abundances in desert ecosystems and the distribution of native and non native annuals with respect to creosote may differ. This normally happens when the plant is 30 to 90 years old. It competes aggressively with other plants for water and usually wins accounting for its prevalence in many arid locations of the southwest. The shiny oily dark green leaves and small yellow flowers are characteristic of this medium to large shrub.

Creosote bush larrea tridentata is an extremely tough and drought resistant plant. King clone the 11 700 year old creosote bush ring in the mojave desert king clone is thought to be the oldest creosote bush ring in the mojave desert. The ring is estimated to be 11 700 years old making it one of the oldest living organisms on earth. Creosotebush occurs throughout the mojave sonoran and chihuahuan deserts. Tridentata in the mojave and sonoran deserts within four different microhabitats spanning from under the shrub canopy. Creosote bushes of the mojave desert have 78 chromosomes those of the sonoran desert southern arizona have 52 chromosomes while those of west texas chihuahuan desert have only 26. The mojave desert is the northward limit of the range of this species.

Its distribution extends from southern california northeast through southern nevada to the southwest corner of utah and southeast through southern arizona and new mexico to western texas and north central mexico. Indians utilized the creosote bush for firewood glue tea and as a general antiseptic. Such an increase in the number of chromosomes in plant evolution is not that unusual.