U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge Plants I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers. -Claude Monet Introduction Plant Guide Key Welcome Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge Symbols Refuge location where plant can be Refuge, established in 1984, is the most commonly seen: largest oasis in the Mojave Desert, supporting an incredible diversity of Crystal Spring boardwalk plants and wildlife year-round. Over 24,000 acres of alkali seeps, springs Point of Rocks boardwalk and other unique habitats make Ash Meadows a biological wonder for Longstreet boardwalk everyone to enjoy and protect. Peterson Reservoir Enjoying the With such rare habitats, Ash Devils Hole Refuge's Plants Meadows has some of the most unique plant communities in the world. Unlike some desert areas where flowers bloom simultaneously Conservation * an Ash Meadows endemic plant in spectacular spring-time displays, Status Symbols (only grows in the Ash Meadows the blooms at Ash Meadows are much area) more subtle and span the entire year. † an endangered species Natural fluctuations in weather can ‡ a threatened species affect bloom times as well. In any ▲ a non-native or invasive species season, something is blooming for insects and birds to eat, and people to admire. Look carefully and tread lightly—you will be amazed by what you discover! Alkali mariposa lily. Cyndi Souza/USFWS Using this Plant This list includes over 40 of the Guide approximately 340 plant species at Ash Meadows. Each of the plants listed are used by culturally affiliated American Indians for both food and medicines. These tribes have revealed select information and caution visitors not to collect, eat or prepare plants, possibly harming an individual or the land. While collecting plants is strictly prohibited, observation and photography are encouraged. For Credits Many dedicated individuals made more information, contact the refuge this project possible. Deserving of office at 775/372 5435. special recognition are the Nuwuvi/ Newe Working Group, Cyndi Souza, Cristi Baldino, Christina Nalen, Sharon McKelvey, Wendy Smith and Alyson Mack. Trees & Shrubs Alkali Rabbitbrush Desert Holly Chrysothamnus albidus Atriplex hymenelytra This perennial shrub is commonly The jagged leaves of this evergreen seen growing in alkaline flats shrub resemble Christmas holly, throughout the refuge. Its small, though they are not related. Dormant highly resinous leaves help reduce in the summer, the leaves lose water loss in an intensely hot and dry moisture, making it appear shriveled environment. A member of the aster and dead. The leaves turn on edge to family, it is covered by bright white reduce sun exposure and their silver or yellow flowerheads in late summer scales reflect light. This plant grows and fall. Native peoples use it as and flowers in the winter, pollinated building material and a chewing gum. not by insects but by wind. All these adaptations allow the desert holly to Size: 1-4' tall Size: 1-3' tall survive the hottest season. Blooms: Aug.-Nov. Blooms: Jan.-April Arrow Weed Desert Mistletoe Pluchea sericea Phoradendron californicum This tall, willow-like shrub grows This reddish, parasitic plant in thickets around springs, streams is commonly found growing on and other wetlands on the refuge. mesquite trees. Technically, it is a Its pink flowers provide a welcome hemiparasite—it relies on its host burst of color in spring and summer. for water and nutrients, but produces For Native peoples, arrow weed uses some sugars through photosynthesis. include making arrow shafts, shelters, Its leaves and flowers are tiny and shades, granaries and roasting pit scale-like which, like the spines on liners from the straight shoots and a cactus, help it to conserve water. branches. Inedible to humans, the white-pink berries are eaten by Phainopepla Size: 3-16' tall Size: 1-3' tall birds, which help spread the mistletoe Blooms: Mar.-July Blooms: Jan-March seeds from tree to tree. Creosote Bush Dodder Larrea tridentata Cuscuta sp. A characteristic shrub of the Mojave This yellow-orange twining plant Desert, creosote is well-adapted to has thread-like stems resembling its harsh environment. Resins on spaghetti. Lacking chlorophyll, its small leaflets slow water loss— leaves, and roots, the mature dodder it also drops some leaves during plant survives through parasitism— periods of drought. It can continue to obtaining all its sugars and water photosynthesize despite very dry soil from a host plant. Its small flowers conditions. Through self-cloning, a produce seeds in the spring that single plant can survive for hundreds, need a suitable host plant. The young or even thousands, of years. plant twines in a counter-clockwise This important plant is used by direction, then eventually uproots Size: 2-10' tall American Indians for firewood, Size: vinelike and lives entirely off its host. Blooms: Apr-May arrows, shades, tool handles and Blooms: Mar-May other useful items. Honey Mesquite Quailbush Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana Atriplex lentiformis breweri In spring, this thorny tree produces Like many desert shrubs, quailbush spikes of yellow flowers that attract sometimes drops its leaves during the bees, wasps and other insect summer and remains dormant until pollinators. The seed pods (shown) spring. Its edible seeds and blue- are long, straight and sweet to the gray leaves provide food and shade taste—true to its name. Native for Gambel's quail and other wildlife people managed honey mesquite in the alkaline flats where it grows. for its edible pods, which are also Amazingly, quailbush and shadscale enjoyed by cottontails, ground are the only known host plants squirrels and coyotes. Found in dense for saltbush sootywing stands wherever ground water is caterpillars (adult Size: 5-30' tall available, a long taproot can reach Size: 3-10' tall butterfly shown Blooms: May-June water at depths of up to 190 feet. Blooms: July-Oct. here). Velvet ash trees in the fall. Screwbean Mesquite Prosopis pubescens This thorny tree is named for its 1-2" long, tightly coiled seed pods that resemble screws (shown). The pods are eaten in large quantities by coyotes and small mammals, which assist in dispersing the seeds to new areas. Native people collect and cure the pods then ground them into flour for consumption. At one time, the pods were also used as a trade item. Size: up to 25' tall Blooms: May-June Leather-leaf or Velvet Ash Seep Willow Fraxinus velutina Baccharis emoryi The leather-leaf ash is the tree for This tall, leafy shrub forms graceful which "Ash Meadows" is named. thickets along springs and streams. Historic references to "gallery stands Despite its name, seep willow is not of ash" suggest that it may have been a true willow but a member of the more prominent in years past. The sunflower family. It is also called leaves of this smooth-barked tree "coyote bush", possibly due to its turn a golden yellow in the fall and bushy clusters of flowers resembling completely drop off in the winter. a coyote's tail. The long, slender, Native people used this plant to evergreen leaves are coated with a make tools, utensils and cradleboard resin that deters herbivory and aids frames. Short sticks of ash were used water retention. Native people use Size: up to 40' tall to hunt chuckwalla. Size: up to 12' tall this plant as fuel for starting fires. Blooms: April-May Blooms: Aug-Dec Grasses & Allies Shadscale Alkali Sacaton Atriplex confertifolia Sporobolus airoides Found in alkaline flats, this densely This perennial bunchgrass forms branched shrub, sometimes called dense clumps in alkaline flats. Like "spiny saltbush" has woody stem all grasses, its roots form a dense mat tips that become rigid and sharply underground that helps hold soil in pointed. Its fruits consist of a single place. This prevents erosion, retains seed clustered between two papery soil moisture, and keeps down dust. bracts that turn red or pink when For this reason, managers often use mature (shown). Unlike many desert sacaton in habitat restoration on the shrubs, shadscale is "semi-evergreen", refuge. retaining some leaves year round. This gives it a head start at Size: 1-2' tall photosynthesizing—producing food— Size: 1-7' tall Blooms: April-July in the spring while its new leaves are Blooms: Apr-Oct still developing. Wild Grape Common Reed Vitis arizonica Phragmites australis Commonly seen growing around This bamboo-like grass with springs and streams at Ash Meadows, purplish-white plumes is widely this large woody vine has maple-like distributed around the world, and leaves, shreddy bark and coiling has become a noxious weed in tendrils. Tiny, inconspicuous white several states. Dense colonies can be flowers bloom in spring and turn into found on the refuge. The long plant dark blue, juicy fruits in late summer stems under or along the ground and fall. The grapes are edible and send out roots and shoots known as provide a tasty treat for birds and "rhizomes". American Indians use other animals. It has been managed a local variety to make arrows, fire by Native people as a food and drills, pipes, game tokens and house Size: vinelike beverage. Size: 6-12' tall walls. Blooms: May-June Blooms: July-Nov Wire-lettuce Saltgrass Stephanomeria pauciflora Distichlis spicata The flower stalks of this small shrub This low grass forms dense, carpet- are leafless and therefore wire-like, like stands in seasonally wet alkaline giving wire-lettuce its name. Though soils. Its leaves secrete excess salt, not edible, it is related to garden allowing it to survive in highly saline lettuce—characterized by milky sap soils. The salt crystals may also serve and heads composed entirely of ray to reflect sunlight off the leaves, flowers. The seeds bear tufts of fine, thereby reducing water loss.