Plants That Live in the Semi-Desert Scrub
- Close-up of an aloe plant.aloe vera image by Nadja Jacke from Fotolia.com
Semi-desert scrub is an area mainly populated by shrubs, grasses and succulents. Thriving in semi-desert scrub are plants that are tolerant to drought and extremely arid, hot climate conditions. Soil is very dry and susceptible to wind erosion. According to the Northern Arizona University Beaver Creek Environmental Atlas, there is a wide array of plants that live in the semi-desert scrub. - Tumblegrass (Schedonnardus paniculatus) is a perennial plant that lives in the arid conditions of the semi-desert scrub. This semi-desert bunchgrass plant displays flowers, down-turned culms, and spiraled blades. Tumblegrass plants grow to a height of 8 to 25 inches. When tumblegrass matures, the plant's spiked panicle breaks off and tumbles in windy conditions. Tumblegrass may infest areas that are overgrazed.
- Big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt.) is a plant that lives in the arid semi-desert scrub. This aromatic shrub displays flowers and fanned, tri-lobed leaves. Big sagebrush plants are tall and rounded shrubs that are native to the United States; with short branches and woody trunks, these plants usually reach a height of 4 feet.
- Aloe (aloe spp.) is a plant that lives in semi-desert scrub. Aloe is a succulent plant with over 300 species; aloe displays spiked flower blossoms and a rosette-shaped form of triangular, thorny leaves. Plant height varies depending upon variety; aloe grows from a height of under 1 foot to several feet tall.
- Bluestem wheatgrass (Agropyron smithii), also known as western wheatgrass, is a perennial grass that lives in arid climate of the semi-desert scrub. This semi-desert grass displays blue-green stems and broad leaves that roll inward as the plant matures. Bluestem wheatgrass grows to a height of 1 to 2 feet tall. Bluestem wheatgrass decreases in overgrazed areas.
