Explore a Woodland Wonderland
The Joshua Tree is a world of tiny worlds.
By providing shade, shelter, and food, this hardy tree
helps support many kinds of desert life.
Graceful in the game of survival
Although it sometimes appears twisted and clumsy, the joshua tree
is very well adapted to harsh desert life. Actually an evergreen, it
belongs to the lily family of plants. Its small, dark green and leathery
leaves help it withstand the dry heat of the desert winds. It often
grows ten feet or taller and blooms in a profusion of cream-colored
flowers every few springs. Each growing season, a ring of leaves
sprouts from the ends of the branches, forcing the old leaves to die
back and eventually fall off.
Joshua trees have been important to the early inhabitants of the
desert. Native Americans roasted and ate the flower buds, made
rope from the leaf fibers, and used the roots for baskets, medecine,
and shampoo.
This sign is found along a route which has been photographed for inclusion in
the UntraveledRoad virtual world. To see and follow the route this sign
is on, click on its image.
