Desert Smoketree (Psorothamnus spinosus)

I think this is a case of you have to learn to like them. First appearances are deceiving! They grow on you over a long period of time and after many hikes and drives across the desert. The desert Smoketree has a very limited distribution... the desert washes of southeastern CA, southwest AZ, and a little stretch of Baja California on the Sea of Cortez side of the peninsula. If you see one in it's natural environment, then you know you are in a wash! One can guess about how they came by their name. Perhaps their smokey color, almost devoid of the typical greens seen in most plants, with mostly grays and dusty yellows that imitate a cloud of smoke. Not very flattering, but they remind me of those scary adds about how your lungs will look if you smoke. They often look dead, and you might wonder how anything can grow in the loose sands of a desert wash that typically go many months and sometimes years without a drop of rain. But when there is rain, it can be torrential and flooding. The desert wash, probably one of the most inhospitable environments in the world.

For more Smoketree images, click on the link: Desert Smoketree. But be careful, they might start to grow on you!

Hope you enjoyed these classic desert shots along with the clear blue skies. Linking with Skywatch Friday. Click on the link to check out great skies from around the world. And thanks to our Skywatch Friday hosts Yogi, Sylvia and Sandy!