Joshua Tree

According to the story, Joshua trees were named by pioneers crossing the Mojave Desert who thought the tree’s outstretched branches resembled the prophet Joshua waving them on to the promised land. But unlike the pioneers, this tree cannot pack up and migrate to a new home if its habitat becomes unsuitable. To expand to new locations, the Joshua tree depended on the giant sloth to disperse its seeds—an animal that unfortunately went extinct 13,000 years ago. These relic trees literally have nowhere to go if temperatures rise and the desert becomes drier. A hotter, drier desert also spells trouble for the Joshua tree as hungry, thirsty animals gnaw on their bark in search of moisture.

Scientific name: Yucca brevifolia
IUCN Red List: Not Evaluated
Region: West, Southwest