Joshua trees under the Milky Way, California, United States Apr 21, 2025

Joshua trees under the Milky Way, California, United States

Today"s image features a desert icon—the Joshua tree—native to the Mojave Desert in the southwestern United States. This remarkable tree grows rapidly during its first ten years, averaging about 7 centimetres per year. After that, its growth slows down to around 4 centimetres per year and over its lifespan, it can reach up to 15 metres. Their long, messy and rough appearance resembles the look of a beard, adding to the tree"s unique and rugged charm.

© Chao Zhang/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Apr 21, 2024Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Apr 21, 2026European hedgehog, France

More Desktop Wallpapers:

May 15, 2026A family of sperm whales, Indian Ocean
Sept 8, 2026Beech tree in a cereal field, Hampshire, England
Oct 24, 2025RMS Queen Mary, California
May 5, 2024Colonnade in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico
Jul 21, 2025Staghorn coral in shallow ocean
Sep 15, 2023Glenariff Forest Park, County Antrim, Ireland
May 3, 2025Arches National Park, Utah, United States
Jun 1, 2024Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden, Brazil
Feb 27, 2024Polar bear cubs
Feb 26, 2026Grand Canyon and the Colorado River, Arizona, United States
May 19, 2026Formentor Lighthouse, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
Oct 31, 2026Lake Braies, Fanes‑Sennes‑Braies Nature Park, Dolomites, Italy
Oct 30, 2023Common raven
Aug 24, 2026Brooklyn Bridge, New York City, United States
Jan 16, 2024Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada
Jan 6, 2026Nuuk, Greenland
Apr 23, 2024Library of Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
Jun 24, 2024Kelimutu, Flores, Indonesia
Apr 7, 2026Beaver
Jul 7, 2024Rice terraces of Mù Cang Chải, Yên Bái province, Vietnam
Feb 18, 2025The Great Blue Hole, Belize
May 21, 2026Tea terraces in Sichuan Province, China
Jan 31, 2024Burchells zebras
May 13, 2024Fish River Canyon, Namibia
May 11, 2025Leopard mother grooming her cub, Jao Reserve, Botswana
Oct 1, 2026Yosemite National Park, California, United States
May 16, 2025Great green macaw, Mexico
Mar 19, 2026Short-beaked echidna, Adelaide Hills, Australia
Jan 8, 2024Bernina Pass, Graubünden, Switzerland
May 3, 2024The Sonoran Desert, Arizona, USA