• In spite of harsh conditions, many plants thrive and blossom in the desert.desert plants image by Carol Tomalty from Fotolia.com
  
  Dry, hot deserts may seem like harsh places for plants to grow, but a number of adaptable plants dot desert landscapes across the world. Some have long roots that search for water deep underground, where the sun hasn't evaporated it. Other plants lie dormant and blossom after rare periods of heavy rainfall. Their ability to survive in the inhospitable desert environment makes them some of the world's most unconventional plants.
  
  

Cactus

• Cacti have spines to keep animals at bay.cactus image by Carol Tomalty from Fotolia.com
  
  The cactus is one of the most well-known desert plants, with an unusual, squat appearance and skin covered in thorns or spikes. Its prickly parts keep animals from sipping at its water. A cactus often has a thick body to keep moisture in, with less surface area that would allow water to escape. According to a horticulture article by Deborah L. Brown at the University of Minnesota Extension, all but one of the nearly 2,000 species of cacti originated in the Americas.
  
  

Sturt's Desert Pea

• Sturt's desert pea, or Swainsona formosa, is a striking, blood-red flower native to Australia's deserts. The flowers are not round like others, but have thin strips of petals with black bumps in the middle. Sturt's desert pea has developed long tap roots to absorb water deep underground, though it especially flourishes after rain showers. Sturt's desert pea is the official flower of South Australia and is named after the 19th-century Outback explorer, Charles Sturt.
  
  

Joshua Tree

• Mormons named the Yucca brevifolia after the biblical hero, Joshua.joshua tree image by M. Elizabeth Huetter from Fotolia.com
  
  The Joshua tree, or Yucca brevifolia, is native to the Mojave Desert in California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona and northern Mexico. It is a shrub or tree that stands out on the desert horizon due to its tall stature; the tallest in Joshua Tree National Park is 40 feet. Native Americans used to weave baskets from its bark and eat its seeds. In the 1800s, Mormons crossing the desert spied the tree and named it after the biblical hero, Joshua.
  
  

Saltbush

• Saltbush is native to the Australian Outback.Saltbush/Red Centre image by Canon Fodder from Fotolia.com
  
  Saltbush, or atriplex nummularia, grows in the Australian Outback, where it grows up to 8 or 9 feet tall after summer showers. It is gray-blue rather than green, which keeps off some of the sun's heat. While some roots absorb nutrients from underground, others rest near the desert floor to drink the morning dew. It is a food source for many desert animals, and Aboriginal people used its seeds to prepare damper bush bread.