Common desert plants and cacti species matched with region and one water-conservation adaptation each.
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- Saguaro cactus
- Sonoran Desert, Arizona. Tall columnar ribbed structure stores large amounts of water.
- Prickly pear
- Mexico and southwestern USA. Flat segmented pads store water and photosynthesize.
- Barrel cactus
- Arizona and Sonoran Desert. Spherical shape with small surface area minimizes water loss.
- Ocotillo
- Arizona and Sonoran Desert. Sheds leaves during drought to prevent water loss through transpiration.
- Creosote bush
- Arizona and Sonoran Desert. Waxy leaf coating reduces transpiration and water loss.
- Aloe vera
- North Africa and Middle East. Thick fleshy leaves store water in gel-like tissue.
- Teddy bear cholla
- Sonoran Desert, Arizona. Densely packed spines provide shade and reduce water evaporation.
- Desert rose
- Africa and Arabia. Swollen trunk base (caudex) stores water reserves.
- Agave or century plant
- Mexico. Thick succulent leaves store large amounts of water and nutrients.
- Twisted yucca
- Arizona and New Mexico. Stiff waxy leaves are oriented vertically to reduce transpiration.
- Brittlebush
- Arizona and Sonoran Desert. Small waxy leaves and light coloring reduce water loss and heat stress.
- Desert willow
- Arizona, New Mexico, and Mexico. Sheds leaves entirely during drought to stop water loss.
- Ironwood or Palo Fierro
- Arizona and Sonoran Desert. Extremely deep root system accesses groundwater far below surface.
- Mesquite
- Arizona, New Mexico, and Mexico. Taproots can reach 200 feet deep to access underground water.
- Palo verde
- Arizona and Sonoran Desert. Green photosynthetic bark allows survival with minimal water-losing leaves.