Flat Top Mesa Plants

FAMILY: Cactaceae
SPECIES: Echinocereus engelmannii

Associated species: Found in Creosote Bush Scrub, Joshua Tree Woodland and Pinyon-juniper woodland communities.

Range: Found in desert areas of the southwestern United States and the adjacent areas of Mexico, including the states of California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Baja California and Sonora.

Soil: Rocky, sandy, fast draining.

Other Notes: Home to butterflies and moths. Fruit is edible and said to taste like strawberry. One of the most common species of cactus in the south-western US.

Observations: Growing in a group out of boulders and rocks. Spines cover entire plant. Not flowering. Brownish-whitish gradated appearances. Only about 4-6 inches in height.

FAMILY: Polygonaceae
SPECIES: Eriogonum fasciculatum

Associated species: Found in Coastal Sage Scrub, Sagebrush Scrub, Creosote Bush Scrub, Valley Grassland, Pinyon-Juniper Woodland communities.

Range: A common shrub that is native to the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, where it grows on scrubby slopes and in chaparral and dry washes in a number of habitats. Tolerates cold to 15° F.

Soil: Prefers loamy soils. Soil PH: 5.0 - 8.5. Good in fast, medium and slow draining soils.

Other Notes:
Hosts bees, hummingbirds, butterflies and moths. Native Californians and other Native Peoples use it primarily to treat headaches, stomach problems, diarrhea and wounds. Both the leaves and roots are used, fresh and dried.

Observations: Currently not flowering. Brownish reddish color. Long stems with small flowers that are very delicate at the end. This stage of the plant looks like it's stressed or dead. No noticeable smell. Found on a hillside. Probably about 3 ft in a height. Stems appear fuzzy. Flower looks to grow in a cluster at the end of the stem.

FAMILY: Malvaceae
SPECIES: Sphaeralcea ambigua

Associated species: Enjoys being in the company of creosote and chaparral scrub brush. Also seen with Smoketree, Palo Verde, Joshua Tree, California Juniper and Pinyon Pine.

Range: mostly Southern California deserts, but also found in parts of Nevada, Utah, Arizona and Northwest Mexico. Tolerates cold to 15° F

Soil: Adaptable, but prefers fast draining desert soil. Tolerates Sodic Soil. Soil PH: 6.0 - 8.0 Soil PH: 6.2 - 8.2

Enjoys deserts and semidesert settings, especially among boulders.

Other Notes:
Hosts, bees, butterflies and moths.

Observations: Currently not flowering. Leaves are a greyish green and look wrinkly and are lobed. Stems and leaves look fuzzy. Found on a hillside.

FAMILY: Asteraceae
SPECIES: Encelia farinosa

Associated species: Creosote, Ocotillo, Jojoba, Blue Paloverde, White Bursage, Chuparosa, Barrel Cactus, Desert Lavender, Indigo Bush, Apricot Mallow

Range: Found native in a variety of desert habitats in the Mojave and Colorado, but spreading as they are being cultivated by Caltrans for use along roadways. Tolerates cold to 20° F. Elevation: -224" - 6450"

Soil: Prefers sandy or decomposed granite soil. Soil PH: 7.0 - 9.0.

It can be found in a variety of desert habitats from dry gravelly slopes to open sandy washes. Found in very arid slopes, canyons, washes and alluvial fans

Other Notes:
Can be used for bank stabilization. Hosts bees, butterflies and moths. Birds eat their seeds.

Leaves and stems has been held in the mouth to alleviate a toothache.

Observations: Currently not flowering. Long stems where flowers would be when blooming. Light greyish green leaves with long stems sticking far out from the plant (where the flowers would be). Leaves look crinkled. Found on a gravelly/granitey slope. Also found in a nearby dry wash. Among creosote.

Notes
FAMILY: Polygonaceae
SPECIES: Eriogonum inflatum

Associated species: Sagebrush Scrub, Creosote Bush Scrub, Pinyon-Juniper Woodland, Joshua Tree Woodland

Range: Prefers rocky foot-hills, lower slopes of desert mountains, dry sand or gravel.

Found at -274" - 7179" throughout the Southwestern US.

Soil: Enjoys dry locations; sandy or gravelly soils.

Other Notes:
Hosts butterflies and moths. Indigenous people had different methods for preparing and eating the plant. They would also use them in tobacco pipes and as medicine for dog bites.

Observations: Currently not flowering. Brownish reddish color. Long stems in small clusters that start out narrow with ends that look like a pod or bubble and what look like antennae branching off of that. No noticeable smell. Found on a hillside. Probably about 2 ft in a height.

FAMILY: Cactaceae
SPECIES: Opuntia basilaris

Associated species: Agave, Desert Lavender, Brittlebrush, Palo Verde, Joshua Tree

Range: mostly the Mojave and Colorado Deserts and Northwest Mexico. Tolerates cold to 0° F

Soil: Sandy or gravelly, decomposed granite or sandstone. Soil PH: 6.2 - 8.2

Other Notes:
Insects are attracted to its flowers, including butterflies and moths.

Juicy edible paddles, especially in Mexican cuisine.

Observations: Round, flat green paddles with tiny hairlike spines found on a hillside with decomposed granite soil.