Native Gardening in the Sonoran Desert Quiz

Answer: Canyon grape

Also known as the Arizona grape, the canyon grape can be found in canyons or riparian areas all over the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts. It grows both in the low deserts and the uplands, including mountain regions. The fruits are small, tart, and seedy but flavorful, and the plant leaves can be used as wraps for baking other foods.

The deciduous vines on which the fruit grows can reach a height of sixteen feet so they'll need to be stacked when grown in desert gardens.

Answer: Chia

It's not the chia of "Chia Pets" (that is salvia hispanica), but its seeds are used in a similar manner. Both plants are members of the mint family, and their crushed leaves have a minty smell. This chia variety is also known as chia sage, golden chia, or desert chia, and it's an annual that grows in the low deserts.

The dried seeds are ground and used to make porridge and cakes. They are also mixed with water to make a thick and mucousy beverage that is believed to have health benefits. The purple flowers are a pretty addition to a wildflower garden.

Answer: Velvet mesquite

A deciduous tree, the velvet mesquite grows in deserts, uplands, and riparian areas and can grow to a height of 30 feet. After flowering, six-inch-long bean pods develop. The sweet pods are a favorite of desert animals such as squirrels, rabbits, javelina and coyotes.

When dried, the pods are ground into a sweet flour that can be used for breads and cakes. Bees are also attracted to the flours and produced mesquite honey, and the wood from the tree creates an aromatic firewood. The tree is a bit messy and has invasive roots, so it shouldn't be planted near pools or patios.

Answer: Tepary bean

An annual, tepary beans grow on a plant that reaches a height of four feet and produces pink flowers in summer and fall. The plant grows in low deserts, uplands and riparian areas and only needs a small amount of water to produce flours and legumes. The beans can be any color, and because they are considered to be the most drought-resistant legume, they are now planted in arid locations around the world.

Although grown for years by native peoples, the beans have recently found their way back into Sonoran gardens because of their low-water requirements.

Answer: Engelmann's prickly pear

Also known as the desert prickly pear, cactus apple, and cow's tongue cactus, among other names, Engelmann's prickly pear can be found throughout the Sonoran and Chihuahaun deserts. It's a perennial plant that grows in the low deserts as well as the uplands and grows to a height of five feet.

It produces bright flowers in spring that can range from pale yellow to red, and the flowers are followed by plump reddish fruit. The fruits are called tunas and are used to make juice, syrup and candy. The pads are called nopales and can be cooked and eaten, usually in strips. Both the fruits and pads have nasty spines that need to be removed before preparing as food. Prickly pears can be very invasive plants and need to be managed when included in desert gardens.

Answer: Canyon maple

Hard to believe, but there is a maple tree that is native to the Sonoran desert. Sometimes called the bigtooth maple or western sugar maple, the canyon maple tree is actually a distinct variety known as sinuosum and can be found in mountain regions of the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts.

It grows as a tree or a shrub and can reach a height of fifty feet. Like its eastern cousins, the canyon maple has colorful fall foliage and produces a sweet sap that is used to make maple syrup. Because of its height and limited growing range, the canyon maple isn't suitable for all desert gardens, but if your lot size and location can accommodate it, it's a lovely addition to the garden.

Answer: Saguaro

A protected native plant, the Saguaro cactus is a symbol of the Sonoran desert, where it almost exclusively grows. The plants can reach a height of over sixty feet and can survive for many years. The flowers, which are the Arizona state flowers, are produced in late spring and are followed by bright red fruit that are a favorite of birds.

The fruit is harvested with long poles and is used to make syrups and jellies. The black seeds of the fruit are dried and used similar to poppy seeds. Saguaros are a low maintenance addition to desert gardens and will help attract native birds.

Answer: Stinking gourd

Besides its appropriate name of the stinking gourd, the cucurbita foetidissima is also known as the Missouri gourd, buffalo gourd, wild gourd, calabazilla, and the wild pumpkin, the latter giving its name to one of the early names for the city of Phoenix: Pumpkinville.

The "stinking gourd" name came from the fact that treading on the plant releases a foul order that will stick to your shoes (so this plant is best grown in a large garden where it has room to spread out). This is a perennial plant that grows in low deserts and uplands and produces vines up to twenty feet long.

Although the seeds are edible and similar to pumpkin seeds, the gourds themselves are only edible if cooked while young (although they are said to be bitter). The mature gourds and the roots are poisonous. So yes, stick to the seeds!

Answer: Desert lavender

A perennial shrub that can grow to a height of fifteen feet, desert lavender is most often found near water sources, such as desert washes. It flowers in spring, summer, and fall and produces small purple flowers that are popular with bees and butterflies.

The flowers have a faint honey fragrance, but it's the leaves that are the desired product: They are edible and have a strong lavender fragrance when crushed. These plants fit well in desert landscaping but should be allowed to grow naturally without pruning.

Answer: American wild carrot

The American wild carrot has many names: Rattlesnakeweed, Southwestern carrot, Seedticks, and as we prefer in Arizona, the Arizona wild carrot. Besides the Sonoran desert, the plant is native to most of the western and southern United States. It is an annual plant that grows at elevations less than 4,000 feet, and like commercial carrots, it has lacy leaves that smell like carrots when crushed.

The size of the taproot is not similar to commercial carrots however.