September 01, 2022
by Stacy Doolittle 182sc on September 01, 2022
Photos by Susan Gillingham
A native cactus of the Mojave Desert is the barrel cactus, or Ferocactus cylindraceus. The Latin name Ferocactus means fierce or wild cactus.
The bright pink-red spines of the cactus are particularly apparent after a rain. Older plants form a medium or tall column. Flowers are yellow, appearing in spring and early summer, while the fruits are bright yellow.
According to ethnobotanist.com, the "Havasupai collected seeds from the fruit and ground them into an edible, porridge mush. These people also warmed the red spines by fire, then bent the spines into finger rings." The fruit itself is described as "not very tasty."
August 01, 2022
by Stacy Doolittle 182sc on August 01, 2022
Photo by Chris Hunkeler from Carlsbad, California, USA, <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Ocotillo is a native plant that creates structure and height in our Morongo Basin landscapes. Ocotillo means "little torch" in Spanish, probably inspired by the orange red flowers at the plant's tips. The plant can grow up to 15 feet tall and wide. It prefers full sun and likes our heat.
Fouquieria splendens, or ocotillo, for much of the year appears to be an arrangement of large spiny dead sticks, although a closer look reveals that the canes are partly green. Either through irrigation or rain, water makes the plant come to life with small green leaves all over the stems.
Tips about growing and irrigating these plants varies widely. Morongo Basin writer Maureen Gilmer notes that getting them started in your yard can be "devilishly difficult." She recommends buying them potted instead of bare root for best growing success.
July 01, 2022
by Stacy Doolittle 182sc on July 01, 2022
A non-native grass-like plant that does particularly well in the Morongo Basin is red yucca, or Hesperaloe parviflora. Its grassy evergreen leaves provide interest during all seasons, with plants having a purple cast in the winter cold.
As a native of the Mexican Chihuahuan Desert, red yucca can withstand our high temperatures. The deep rose-pink blooms usually start in June and last for a long time, provided the plant is regularly watered. The bloom spike can reach 5 feet in mature plants. If watered irregularly, it will either not bloom or the blooms will be few.
This is a low-maintenance plant beloved by hummingbirds!
June 01, 2022
by Stacy Doolittle 182sc on June 01, 2022
California buckwheat with Russian sage in the background. Photo by Stacy Doolittle
An outstanding small shrub for Morongo Basin landscapes is California Buckwheat, a native which is likely to volunteer in your yard. Long-lived creamy white flowers eventually turn into attractive rust-colored seed heads. It is attractive all year long.
May 01, 2022
by Stacy Doolittle 182sc on May 01, 2022
Photo by Arch McCullough
A favorite springtime native flower of many Morongo Basin residents (and hummingbirds) is the Apricot Mallow. With its upturned, bright orange-cupped flowers, and grey-green foliage, mallow fits into most any landscaping scheme. With any luck, you won't need to plant it as it will volunteer in your water-wise garden!
Sphaeralcea ambigua is common along our Basin's roadsides in spring, with its flowering dependent upon seasonal rains. Though most mallow flowers are apricot-orange, there are also pink, purple, red, white and shades in between. Prune once a year after blooming to 6"-12" above ground to help eliminate unproductive woody growth and reseeding. Do not try and shear this plant regularly as it will not respond well. Wear gloves when pruning as its leaves can be a skin irritant.
April 01, 2022
by Stacy Doolittle 182sc on April 01, 2022
Photos by Stacy Doolittle
One of our most glorious native plants is the Mojave Yucca (Yucca schidigera). With blooms beginning purple and opening to white or cream-colored blossoms, a yucca in bloom is a desert beacon. It's tree-like structure adds solidity to the landscape.
According to CalScape, "the flower is pollinated by only a single species of Yucca Moth, and many of the flowers go unpollinated." Although a member of the Agave family, yucca's do not produce pups but instead reproduce by seed.
March 25, 2022
by Stacy Doolittle 182sc on March 25, 2022
Photos by Stacy Doolittle
Opuntia basilaris or beavertail pricklypear as it is is commonly known, is native to the Morongo Basin and other areas of the southwest. It is a small to medium sized cactus with the potential for hundreds of pads on one cactus. These pads are usually a blue-green without spines. Instead, beavertail has glochids which are small barbed bristles or thorns. These easily detach so caution is recommended.
A truly desert-wise plant, the beavertail doesn't need supplemental water except a small amount in the heat of summer. But be careful, overwatering can lead to rot. It does not need any supplemental water the rest of the year, even though it can appear parched.
February 10, 2022
by Stacy Doolittle 182sc on February 10, 2022
In the cool winter days of February when nothing much seems to be going on in the landscape, agaves stand out in the garden with their grey-green palette and strong structure.
Quite a few varieties of agave thrive in the Morongo Basin. Due to the differences in altitude, an agave that does well in Twentynine Palms may be too cold sensitive for Pioneertown's chilly winter temps. Experiment and talk to other gardeners about what works for them. Agaves are great "pass along" plants as they often produce offspring or "pups".
Don't rely on the big box stores to have vetted cold hardiness of agave for our area. They may sell plants in the Morongo Basin that cannot take our low temps. (Note: an agave can sometimes recover from cold damage to leaves.)
January 01, 2022
by Stacy Doolittle 182sc on January 01, 2022
There is not a more perfect landscaping shrub for our Morongo Basin yards than the ubiquitous creosote bush, Larrea tridentata. Native and very common throughout the Basin, creosote is not fussy about soil and can be trimmed into a specimen topiary or into a hedge/windbreak. With regular water it becomes denser.
Small yellow flowers cover the plant in the spring.
December 01, 2021
by Stacy Doolittle 182sc on December 01, 2021
Hollyleaf cherry (Prunus Ilicifolia) is a native and drought-tolerant shrub for home landscapes in the Morongo Basin. It is the most widely distributed native subspecies of holly in California.
This shrub can be pruned into a quite tall hedge and should be trimmed to shape twice a year if need be. The red cherries appear in fall and are edible if you get them before the birds do! The plant is evergreen with glossy leaves that smell like almonds when crushed. The leaves and branches are useful for holiday wreathes and arrangements.
MBCA Joins Request for Wildlife Protection at Border Wall
MBCA joined a strong plea to California officials initiated by the Endangered Habitats League to take action concerning expansion of the Border Wall along California’s southern border with Mexico that will further damage wildlife in both countries. The letter importantly references the 2005 Memorandum of Understanding between federal and California agencies and several Mexican non-profits regarding the habitat conservation of the area around Tecate Peak which is among several locations...
MBCA Opposes Permit for Joshua Tree Motocross Park
After learning of an operating motocross park on Sunfair Road in Joshua Tree, MBCA sent the County a letter opposing approval of any permit for the park/raceway and asking that operation cease until review and permitting can be accomplished. Such a commercial usage is not permitted in a rural living zone without approved permits. According to a report by Z107.7 local radio, the owner Neil Rauschenberg "says that Sunfair 42...
Fall Planting Featured on Latest MBCA Desert-Wise Landscape Video
MBCA has published its latest YouTube video on desert-wise landscaping. "Getting to the Root of Fall Planting/Working with Nature" offers tips and suggestions on design by MBCA's gardening expert Miriam Seger, as well as steps to prepare in fall for a healthy and vibrant spring bloom. For a preview, watch this short video on design, and another on why fall is the best time to plant in the desert.
MBCA Leads Appeal of Sienna Solar Project in Lucerne Valley
In partnership with several other organizations and individuals, MBCA filed an appeal of the County Planning Commission's October 23 approval of a Conditional Use Permit for the 1,854-acre Sienna Solar and Storage Project, including gen-tie lines to the future Southern California Edison Calcite substation in Lucerne Valley. Should these projects be constructed it would fundamentally change the character of the already-disadvantaged Lucerne Valley Community, creating the potential for severe dust...
Alianza Coachella Valley’s Campaign for Thriving Salton Sea Communities is advocating for a Trail Network that will bring much-needed environmental, economic, and recreational benefits to...
Development Proposals in the Morongo Basin
Planning Commission Hearing October 23, 2025
OfLand Resort Update
LoveMore Ranch Update
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AB 98 - Transportation Issues for the Morongo Basin
MBCA President Steve Bardwell sent an email to County Supervisor Dawn Rowe and Yucca Valley Town Manager Curtis Yakimow about the County Planning Commission’s October 9 agenda item “AB 98 Transportation and Mobility Study Session." President Bardwell repeated concerns MBCA expressed in January 2025, and annotated the Staff Report to highlight major concerns. He further noted that two major new transportation hubs, Barstow International Gateway (BIG) and the Amazon warehouse...
MBCA Comments on Cactus Club Development in Joshua Tree
The proposed Cactus Club Hotel is a complex of structures with a total of 20 hotel rooms in the Panorama Heights area of Joshua Tree. The project description also lists other structures for "accessory uses" that seem to indicate a resort rather than just a hotel. A Mitigated Negative Declaration is recommended by County staff. MBCA's letter registers concern about the relatively large scale of the project compared to the...
A notice issued on August 29, 2025, by the Forest Service, an agency of the Department of Agriculture, announced the intent to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule. The intent of the Rule is "to provide lasting protection for inventoried roadless areas within the National Forest System in the context of multiple-use management." MBCA's opposition letter describes the likely negative consequences of rolling back this rule, including environmental harm to...
