General Description | Mormon immigrants discovered this tree in the mid 19th century in the Southwestern United States and gave it the name Joshua Tree in reference to the biblical figure Joshua. |
Shape | Upright position. |
Landscape | Accent tree. |
Propagation | Seeding and root cuttings. |
Cultivation | Dry, sandy, well drained soil in full sun. Acidic, neutral and alkaline soils are all acceptable. Drought tolerant. |
Pests | Root rot.
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Notable Specimens | The Joshua Tree National Park, California, United States of America. |
Habitat | Plains and mountain slopes. |
Bark/Stem Description | Younger trees are usually covered in dead leaves that fold down covering the branches and trunk making it look ragged. |
Flower/Leaf Bud Description | Large tear drop buds can be seen at the ends of the branches. They are dense and stiff. |
Leaf Description | The leaves of seedlings are tender, slender and vulnerable to herbivory. Adult foliage is very dense and dagger-shaped with thick, waxy outer leaves to reduce water loss. They are clustered in rosettes at the apex of the shoot/branch ranging from 0.3 - 1.5 m long and up to 0.3 - 0.5 m in diameter. The leaves themselves are 15 - 35 cm long and 1 cm wide and come to a sharp point. They are inflexible and have small teeth along the margin. The clusters are longer on juvenile plants with a length of 1 - 1.5 m, whereas the more mature plants have clusters of only 0.3 - 1 m in length. |
Flower Description | The flowers are arranged in a dense panicle shape that emerges from the bud at the end of the branches. Each flower is 2 - 4 cm long consisting of 6 sepals. The length of the panicle branch is about 30 - 45 cm long. The flower produces an unpleasant odour. |
Fruit Description | Elliptical shaped with four evenly spaced dark vertical lines stretching from top to bottom. It's 6 - 10 cm long, somewhat fleshy and has the same distinct odour as the flowers.
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Colour Description | Mature bark is sandy brown to light grey in colour. The buds are purplish-green when closed, this colour disappears as the bud begins to open. The leaves are a greenish-grey colour from spring to autumn and develop olive tones in winter. The tips of the leaves are white with a brown colour just beneath it. The sepals are a yellowish-green. The fruit is a yellowish-greenish-brown colour. |
Texture Description | The bark appears rough, but is actually smooth and soft in texture, almost cork-like. Leaves are medium in texture. |