Plants Desert Plants have it tough. They bake in the summer, freeze in the winter, and have to bear months without a drop of rain. It may not seem like much of a life for a plant, but surprisingly there is great diversity here. Since the desert is so young - geologically speaking - plants are still experimenting with different ways to survive. Creosote Bush, Larrea tridentata Creosote Bush, Larrea tridentata The sharp smell of creosote bush comes from natural oils and wax which coat its leaves to seal in water. When times get drier, creosote leaves fold in half to cut their exposure to the sun. During the worst dry spells, the creosote bush will drop its leaves entirely, cashing it all in until the rains return. Smoke Tree, Dalea spinosa It is often hard to tell whether a smoke tree is dead or alive. With a crown of gray branches and twigs with dense hairs, a smoke tree can look like smoke from a distance. Leaves appear on the tree for a few short weeks in the spring before the smoke tree blooms with purple flowers, usually in May and June Ocotillo, Fonquieria splendens An ocotillo can look lifeless most of the year. But within days of rain it will come alive and leaf-out with small leaves above its spines. If it dries out again, the ocotillo sheds its leaves. This cycle may repeat several times. The ocotillo blooms from March through June with red flowers at the ends of branches, even when there are no leaves on the plant. Spikes and Spines Desert Cactus bristle with needles, but what's the point of all those spines? They make sharp defense against clumsy hikers as well as hungry animals seeking cactus fruit or flesh. But for cactus, needles have other good points, too. Cactus lack leaves, so their needles help shade the plants from too much sun. And they help keep cactus cool by acting like the fins on a radiator into the air. In some cactus, downward pointing needles collect mist and dew which drips down to water their shallow roots Cat-claw Acacia, Acacia greggii Also known as "wait-a-minute" bush, cat-claw acacia is a common shrub found in the washes of the Colorado Desert. The branches are armed with short curved spines, much like a cat's claw. Joshua Trees, Yucca brevifolia Joshua trees belong to the Lily family. They were named by Mormons who, when they encountered this giant yucca tree, thought that it resembled the arms of Joshua beckoning them farther west. One of the most beautiful spectacles during spring in the Mojave is the creamy white blossoms of the Joshua tree. These white candles can be seen from February to late April.