joshua trees

Joshua Trees are crucial to the ecosystem of the Mojave Desert, as they provide food and habitat to local species. They’re not really a tree at all and are actually a yucca plant in the the same subgroup that includes flowering grasses and orchids. They’re slow-growing (adding only 2 to 3 inches each year), can take 50 to 60 years to reach full height, and live, on average, around 150 to 500 years.