Plant Species List

Joshua Tree National Park has over 750 documented plant species, representing approximately 12% of the California Flora and 33% of the taxa within the California desert region. The floristic richness of this area is greatly enhanced by the high percentage of annual species, which represent 47% of the species. Another important contributor to the floristic richness at Joshua Tree is the many species that flower in the summer or fall season, for example, 5% of the flora consists of summer annuals-species that only respond to summer rains.

 
Family Species Common Name Nativity Habit
Acanthaceae Justicia californica beloperone Native shrub
Adoxaceae Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea blue elderberry Native shrub
Agavaceae Agave deserti var. deserti desert agave Native shrub
Agavaceae Hesperocallis undulata desert lily Native perennial
Agavaceae Yucca brevifolia Joshua tree Native shrub/tree
Agavaceae Yucca schidigera Mojave yucca Native shrub/tree
Aizoaceae Trianthema portulacastrum desert horsepurslane Native annual
Alliaceae Allium denticulatum toothed wild onion Native perennial bulb
Alliaceae Allium fimbriatum var. fimbriatum fringed onion Native perennial bulb
Alliaceae Allium parishii Parish's onion Native perennial
Amaranthaceae Amaranthus albus prostrate pigweed Non-native annual
Amaranthaceae Amaranthus blitoides mat amaranth Native annual
Amaranthaceae Amaranthus fimbriatus fringed amaranth Native annual
Amaranthaceae Amaranthus torreyi Torrey's amaranth Native annual
Amaranthaceae Tidestromia suffruticosa var. oblongifolia shrubby honeysweet Native perennial
Anacardiaceae Rhus aromatica fragrant sumac Native shrub
Apiaceae Bowlesia incana hoary bowlesia Native annual
Apiaceae Cyclospermum leptophyllum marsh parsley Non-native annual
Apiaceae Cymopterus panamintensis var. actuifolius Panamint springparsley Native perennial
Apiaceae Lomatium mohavense Mojave desertparsley Native perennial
Apiaceae Tauschia parishii Parish's umbrellawort Native perennial
Apocynaceae Amsonia tomentosa woolly bluestar Native subshrub
Apocynaceae Asclepias albicans whitestem milkweed Native shrub
Apocynaceae Asclepias erosa desert milkweed Native perennial
Apocynaceae Asclepias fascicularis Mexican whorled milkweed Native perennial
Apocynaceae Asclepias subulata rush milkweed Native perennial
Apocynaceae Funastrum cynanchoides var hartwegii Hartweg's twinevine Native perennial
Apocynaceae Funastrum hirtellum hairy milkweed Native perennial
Apocynaceae Funstrum utahense Utah swallowwort Native perennial
Apocynaceae Matelea parvifolia spearleaf Native perennial

 

Select a Park:

Select a Species Category (optional):

List Differences

Search results will be displayed here.


Visit NPSpecies for more comprehensive information and advanced search capability. Have a suggestion or comment on this list? Let us know.

Last updated: January 19, 2021

Park footer

Contact Info

Mailing Address:

74485 National Park Drive
Twentynine Palms, CA 92277-3597

Phone:

760 367-5500

Contact Us