The jojoba is a native of the Morongo Basin and thrives in home landscapes. Simmondsia chinensis is a wonderful plant for back of the border or to be used as at moderately-fast growing screen. Leaf color ranges from greens to greys. The leaves are small and the shrub can be kept compact in habit through pruning. It can grow from 4-7 feet high and wide. Care should be taken in higher elevations (up to 5000 feet) of our area as a hard freeze can kill a young plant. Despite needing good drainage, jojoba seems to tolerate and even appreciate clay soils. Deer prefer it but rabbits and other nibblers ignore it.
Photos by Stacy Doolittle
This native plant is the same one farmed agriculturally for jojoba oil from its berries. The only animal able to digest the wax in its nuts is the Bailey's pocket mouse.
Attend County Virtual Meeting on Short Term Rentals
Flamingo 640 to be Heard by Board of Supervisors
Landers Eco Dome Project
Ongoing Threats to Rooftop Solar
Desert Wise Living Landscape Tour Videos Now ReleasedItem 1
Covering multiple areas of concern, MBCA has submitted two comment letters challenging the Draft Mitigated Negative Declaration/Initial Study (MND/IS) and in opposition to the granting of a Conditional use Permit (CUP) for this "Eco Dome Campground" project in Landers. One letter notes both the inappropriate designation as a campground, and the inaccurate characterization of the "Eco Domes" as related to the Integratron, a totally unique historic building that has nothing but...
Proposed Chuckwalla National Monument
Plan to Attend California Desert Summit
Attend the 8th Annual Night Sky Festival
Desert Wise Living Landscape Tour Videos Now Being Released
Easley Solar Project Comments Emphasize Dust and Environmental Justice
MBCA's October 23 comment letter about the proposed Easley Solar Project near Lake Tamarisk and Desert Center explains how the proposal will add to the already excessive dust problems in current projects nearby, affecting residents' health and violating concepts of environmental justice. Additionally and critically, undisturbed desert land provides carbon sequestration that has far more value and far less harm than scraping more desert for industrial scale solar.
Supervisors Approve RCIS Resolution without Recommended Change
A resolution to support the Regional Conservation Investment Strategy was on the September 26 agenda of the San Bernardino County Supervisors. While MBCA joined other organizations in supporting the RCIS in an August 2023 comment letter, one of the provisions in the Supervisors’ resolution negated much of the value of the plan. Comments from MBCA and the SummerTree Institute, among others, requested deletion of Provision 7, which would disastrously limit...
Be the first to comment
Sign in with
Facebook Twitter