Often people think of the desert as a dry barren wasteland; or perhaps a landscape merely dotted by a few prickly cactus that is limited in beauty to a few scenic vistas and the warm glow of a summer sunset. But this is far from a complete description of the high Sonoran desert environment of which Desert Ranch is surrounded. The natural beauty of the indigenous plants yields a pleasurable year round experience. A short period of winter dormancy gives way to the subtle yet colorful wildflowers of spring, followed by a vibrant display of various cactus and shrub blooms. Yes, some 
of these may be hidden beneath the sparse shade of a host plant.
For instance, the Graham’s Pincushion exists as a humble conglomerate of hooked spines growing between a crack in a decomposed granite boulder or beneath a bursage. For most of the year they remain dormant and camouflaged with their surroundings, yet when in bloom, their buds offer a flamboyant pink spectacle for the attentive spectator.
As the color of spring subsides, the desert landscape is replenished by the bright green of the summer mesquites, creosote and cat claw vegetation. The Engelmann’s hedgehog spends most of the year in its average dull and prickly state, yet dots the spring landscape with bright neon pink flowers. As summer approaches, the Foothill Palo Verde trees break forth into a sea of yellow blossoms offering a colorful symphony of their own.
While the awesome display of color is hard to surpass, the Sanoran Desert’s most prized cactus sets the stage for the beginning of summer with a beauty of its own. In late May, white silky blooms appear atop the crest of each saguaro as if it were set as a perfect floral arrangement. In bloom they provide the perfect setting for a nectar thirsty hummingbird, or a pollen hungry bee; but this is not the end of their splendor. Shortly after the flowers have wilted, the resultant fruits split open to display the vibrant red pulp prized by the indigenous people and desert fowls alike.
Visit our Desert Plants Page for a list of common desert plants many of which are indigenous to the Desert Ranch area, but all of which make great choices to spruce up your native landscape.