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Wayne Wendel's Photography
birdshooter  > National Parks > Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree National Park, located in south central California, is a combination of two desert ecosystems, the Colorado Desert and the Mojave Desert. The Joshua trees, for which the park is named, can be found in the western half of the park in the elevated Mojave Desert. The Joshua tree is actually a giant lily. Legend has it that Mormons making their way across the desert named the tree after the biblical figure, Joshua. The tree with its limbs stretched upward to heaven praying for a victory. Settlers used the trees for various jobs; steam engine fuel, fencing, corrals, etc. It is an amazing sight to see these trees dotting the desert landscape. Joshua Tree National Park is one of the most beautiful national parks that I have visited. It is classic desert habitat.
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birdshooter > A cholla cactus up close.  This is as close as I wanted to get to these bad boys.
birdshooter > A Cholla cactus
birdshooter > Cholla cactus in the sunlight
birdshooter > This is the Cholla Cactus garden which is in the middle of the Park.  You find most Cholla Cactus in the transition zone between the upper (Mojave) desert and the lower (Colorado) desert.
birdshooter > The Cholla Cactus Garden.
birdshooter > This is the Cholla Cactus, pronounced "choy ya".  The thin prickly exterior is translucent and seems to glow in the sun.  You don't want to back into one of these.
birdshooter > Joshua Tree National Park photo
birdshooter > This is another desert plant call the "Creosote Bush" is well adapted to prolonged heat and dryness.  Its root system is both shallow for rainfall and deep for moisture. When water loss exceeds moisture availability, some of the small waxy leaves are shed.
birdshooter > Joshua Tree National Park photo
A cholla cactus up close. This is as close as I wanted to get to these bad boys.
 > A cholla cactus up close.  This is as close as I wanted to get to these bad boys.
A cholla cactus up close. This is as close as I wanted to get to these bad boys.
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Keywords: tree joshua cohalla
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