Dagger Flat #14

Clumps of candelilla

NPS/C. Negele

Quick Facts

Location:

Dagger Flat Road

Amenities

1 listed

Scenic View/Photo Spot

Candelilla (Euphorbia antisyphilitica) - Look LEFT on the hillside - Candelilla thrives in limestone soils. Although candelilla looks like a clump of slender, spineless cacti, it is actually related to the poinsettia and castor-bean. Through "convergent evolution," plants have solved the problems of living in harsh deserts in many of the same ways. As succulents, both candelilla and cactus are able to store water in the stems; both are leafless to help avoid water loss; and both are covered with a protective, waxy coating that conserves water. The wax covering the candelilla plants is quite heavy, making it a useful ingredient in chewing gum, cosmetics, car wax, shoe polish, and many other products.