The Sonoran Desert, Arizona, USA May 3, 2024

The Sonoran Desert, Arizona, USA

You know you"re in the Sonoran Desert, Arizona, USA, when the sun gives you a warm "welcome"! This arid land is home to various animals such as roadrunners, Gila monsters, and the Morafka"s tortoise. The Sonoran Desert experiences two rainy seasons, which leads to the blossoming of colourful wildflowers such as the brittlebush, seen in today"s image. These hardy shrubs seen here are adapted to the dry climate, with their silvery-grey leaves covered in fine hairs that help reduce water loss through transpiration. Brittlebushes produce bright yellow flowers that bloom in clusters at the ends of their branches, adding a splash of colour to the desert landscape. Another drought-loving desert flora is the saguaro cactus, which can live for over 150 years and grow up to 12 metres tall. These cacti offer food and shelter to desert species. The saguaro is also a sacred plant in the culture of the Tohono O"odham people, used for sustenance and rituals.

© Charles Harker/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

May 3, 2025Arches National Park, Utah, United States

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Feb 29, 2024Eurasian red squirrel
Nov 3, 2023Pacific sea nettle jellyfish
Nov 25, 2025Trevi Fountain, Rome, Italy
Dec 23, 2024Two red-crowned cranes in Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan
Nov 27, 2023Río Negro, Amazon basin, Brazil
Jun 19, 2024Water tower in Cuxhaven, Germany
Jul 11, 2024Gangi, Sicily, Italy
Jul 19, 2025Luna moth
Sep 13, 2024Point Reyes National Seashore
Apr 3, 2025Saguaro National Park, Arizona, United State
May 24, 2025Jotunheimen National Park in Norway
Sep 4, 2024Dusky eagle-owls, Pakistan
Aug 29, 2025Aerial view of Plaza Mayor, Madrid, Spain
Mar 31, 2025Ostuni, Apulia, Italy
Dec 14, 2024Northern hawk-owl, Canada
Mar 15, 2024Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California, USA
Mar 24, 2025African elephants in Namibia
Dec 3, 2024Amber Fort, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
Nov 13, 2023Serra de Tramuntana, Balearic Islands, Majorca, Spain
May 6, 2024Heidelberg on the river Neckar, Germany
Nov 8, 2025Bandon Beach in Bandon, Oregon, United States
Feb 22, 2024Bathing boxes at Brighton Beach, Australia
Jul 12, 2024Mount Rainier National Park, Washington, USA
Jun 18, 2025Asian swallowtail butterfly
Oct 24, 2024Bodie State Historic Park, California, United States
Jun 3, 2024Bicycles in Copenhagen, Denmark
Oct 25, 2023Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah, USA
Aug 7, 2024St. Joseph North Pier Inner and Outer Lights, Michigan, USA
Nov 10, 2025Black-tailed prairie dogs
Apr 18, 2025Göreme Historical National Park in Cappadocia, Türkiye