Capturing the Moment — Healthy Draught Resistant Plants Still Need Water

Capturing the Moment — Healthy Draught Resistant Plants Still Need Water 3 comments

Tom & Diane's patio received rain on the 4th of July, alone with occasional watering.

Parts of the Sonoran Desert and the surrounding mountains have begun to get some much-needed summer rain to break the long drought we have experienced. Where we have received rain and/or water, the plants have responded well and are looking beautiful, such as the prickly pear and ocotillo in the photo of Tom and Diane’s patio. The Catalina’s in the photo background have received much rain, but as I learned on and early morning hike in Sabino Canyon today, almost all the water is running down the backside (north side) of the mountains, leaving areas like Sabino Canyon still bone dry.

This morning’s hike was my first hike in the canyon in sometime, since the Coronado National Forest closed till last Thursday. I will have more on the

A ocotillo plant in Sabino Canyon.

vegetation in the canyon in a later posting, but have included two photos to show draught resistant plants respond to the prolong draught we have experienced. Some plants, like the ocotillo plant in Sabino Canyon sheds its leaves to conserve moisture. Once the canyon starts getting some much-needed moisture, it will respond by leafing out.

On the other hand, many draught resistant plants like the prickly pear will die. Many of the desert prickly pear in Sabino Canyon have turned yellow or have already fallen over and have begun the decaying process. The third photo in the posting is an example of some stressful prickly pear. Even draught resistant plants need water, especially during long hot draughts.

(More on Sabino Canyon and the draught in a later posting.)

kenne