Shrubs and Bushes
True or False: There are no trees in the dessert
False: Trees include Utah juniper (Juniperus osteosperma) and pinyon pine (Pinus monophylla)
True or False: Temperatures can get above 100F
True: During the day, desert temperatures rise to an average of 100°F
True or False: Turtles live in the desert
True: The desert tortoise has roamed the desert's landscape for thousands of years, escaping the scorching temperatures.
True or False: Succulents do not naturally grow in the dessert
False: Succulent plants from the dessert include the prickly pear, banana yucca and Utah century plant.
True or False: Algae grows in soil
True: Soil is dominated by cyanobacteria (blue-green algae), but also includes lichens, mosses, green algae, microfungi, and bacteria.
True or False: At night temperatures fall to around 65F
False: At night, desert temperatures fall to an average of 25°F
True or False: The Arabian wolf eats small birds
True: The Arabian wolf lives a mostly solitary life and preys on anything from small birds, reptiles, and hares to larger animals like gazelles and ibexes.
True or False: Succulent plants are less common than shrubs in deserts
True
What type of plant grows easiest in the desert?
Cactus: Cactus and succulents have adapted with the ability to store water in their leaves, stems, and roots.
True or False: Around 50% of desserts have sand on their surfaces
False: 20% of the total deserts have sand on their surfaces
True or False: The sidewinder is a cousin of the meerkat
False: Sidewinders are one of many snake species native to deserts of the southwestern US and northwestern Mexico.
What do Succulents store to withstand drought?
Water
How tall can the desert willow grow?
The desert willow is a shrub or small tree that can grow 15-30 feet tall
Why are deserts hot and dry?
Because the atmosphere contains little humidity to block the Sun's rays
Name five desert animals
Camel, fox, snake, coyote, scorpion, rat & bat.
True or False: There are around 250 species of Aloe plants
False: There are 650 species in a wide range of sizes and colors, from tree forms to miniature specimens.
What animals does the Yellow Oleander attract?
While it is native to a broad range of tropical latitudes in North and South America, it is grown all around the world for its bright green leaves and showy yellow flowers attractive to bees, butterflies, and the occasional bird.
What causes a desert climate?
Descending, drying air currents; mountain-produced rainshadows; distance from oceanic moisture sources; and cold ocean currents
What type of animal is an Addax?
The addax is a critically endangered species of antelope found in the Sahara Desert.
What is the "Butterfly bush" also called?
A Summer Lilac