Arizona Wild Flowers
Wildflower Pictures And Photos

Joshua Tree, Yucca brevifolia

Joshua Tree

Yucca brevifolia	Joshua Tree Flowers Lily Family ( Liliaceae )
Joshua Tree Flower	Joshua Tree Seed Pods
Joshua Tree Seed Pods 2" - 4" In length	Joshua Tree Seed Pods

Joshua Tree Yucca brevifolia Lily Family ( Liliaceae ) Joshua Tree. Also called: Tree Yucca, Giant Joshua, Joshua Tree yucca, Yucca-Palm. The largest of the nine species of yucca in Arizona. It got its name from Mormon Pioneers, who thought it looked like Joshua praying. It is the symbol of the Mojave Desert. It can live about 100 to 300 years. Its flowering is governed by rainfall and temperature. It needs periods of low temperature to become dormant so that it can stay healthy. Many birds, rodents, insects, and reptiles make it their home. There are two varities of the Joshua Tree and they are classified as J. brevifolia var. herbertii and J. brevifolia var. jaegeriana. First classified as members of the Agave (Century Plant) Family, the Joshua Tree and other yuccas have been reclassified as members of the Lily (Liliaceae) Family. Joshua trees (as well as other yuccas) rely on the female Pronuba Moth for pollination. No other pollinator can transfer the pollen from one flower to another. The female Yucca Moth has evolved special organs which collect and distribute the pollen onto the surface of the flower. The moth then lays her eggs in the flowers' ovaries, and when the larvae hatch, they feed upon the yucca seeds. Without this moth, the Joshua Tree could not reproduce, nor could the moth, whose larvae need the seeds to eat. An old Joshua Trees can sprout new plants from its roots, however only the seeds produced by pollinated flowers can scatter far enough away from the old plant to establish a new stand of plants. Height: Up To 30' Tall. Trunk: Up To About 3 Foot Thick. Flowers: Green-White, Waxy, Bell Shaped, Up To 2 1/2" Long, Tight Clusters On Stalks About 1 To 1/12 Foot Long At The Ends Of Branches. The Flowers Do Not Open Fully And They are Followed By Egg Shaped Fruit. Blooming Time: March - April. Leaves: Up To 14" In Length, Dark Green, Long And Narrow, Dense Clusters At The Ends Of Its Branches. Found: About 20 Miles NW Of Wickenburg On US 93 On The Joshua Tree Parkway. Elevation: 2,000 - 3500 Feet. Habitat: Hillsides And Rocky Plains. Miscellaneous: Flowering Photos Taken March 16, 2005. Seed Photos Taken June 6, 2003. Disected Pods Taken May 17, 2005 From Private Property in Phoenix.