Monday, February 03, 2014

The Joshua Tree

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We are now on our 6th week of Trees for Fun Friday. We are featuring trees for 8 weeks, and in this last 3 weeks of Trees for Fun Friday, I am featuring 3 California Trees where a National Park has been named for them. The first of these 3 trees is the Joshua Tree.
Joshua Trees @ Sunset, Joshua Tree National Park, CA
The Joshua Tree, Yucca Brevifolia, grows wild primarily in the Mojave Desert. The Joshua Tree is the largest of the yucca family, and like all other members of the yucca family, is part of the lily family. Joshua Tree is native to Southwestern United States, in the States of California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah. It is confined mostly to the Mojave Desert between 1300 ft and 5900 ft in elevation. The Joshua Tree National Park is named for the Joshua Tree forests native to the Park. The legend is that the Joshua Tree is named after the prophet Joshua by the mormon migrants because of how the limbs of this monocot tree is outstretched in supplication like in a prayer.
Can You Find Me Here? Hands Raised like the Joshua Trees
**I had to jump high to be seen :)  **
Years ago, when ranchers and miners arrived in the area with high hopes of raising cattle and digging gold,
Barker Dam @ Joshua Tree National Park
( built by ranchers in a natural rock catch basin to store water for cattle)
they used the Joshua tree limbs and trunks for fencing and corrals. Native Americans used the tough leaves for baskets and sandals. The raw or roasted flower buds and seeds of Joshua tree were part of a healthy diet.

Rock Climbing @ Joshua Tree National Park
Today, the Joshua Tree National Park not only protect these grotesque trees but also 501 archaeological sites, 88 historic structures, 19 cultural landscapes and houses 123, 253 items in its museum collection.

And, being a U2 fan, I also own a Joshua Tree album, which was named also after these trees. There is so much diversity at Joshua Tree National Park, I hope to be able to share some more other features that this National Park offers in my later posts.
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28 comments:

  1. That is a very unusual tree, but very photogenic

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  2. I like the first photo. The colour blended so well making it as an amazing photo.

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  3. It's my first time to see a Joshua tree...Thanks for sharing it here...

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  4. This is a very unusual tree, but so very beautiful Betchai.

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  5. Yes, I see a group of peole raising their hands during praying is going on.

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  6. Your pictures are gorgeous. I didn't know it was you with the Joshua trees until I read the caption! I thought you were a tree :D

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  7. Barker dam looks cute. :p Seriously.

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  8. Ms Betchai I have read your blog for a long time and your posts on the Joshua Tree are some of my favorites. They are such an interesting and beautiful tree.

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  9. Beth, such lovely photos of the Joshua tree! Love it. I am an avid U2 fan too. I am so glad to be back in blogging! It feels good to be able to blog again! Yay! Thank you for continuously checking on me and encouraging me. I appreciate it a lot girlash! Love you lots, Beth! mwa!

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  10. This deranged blogger is back! Will do some trees later tonight.

    Perfect sunset watch at Joshua Tree NP! I thought you were the tree! Hahaha!

    Although I have not been there, this is one great spot to visit, especially at the dam where you can take nice reflection shots!

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  11. Just followed you ma'am kasi parang madadalas na ako dito hehehe...

    Good day!

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  12. Interesting looking tree, and your trees series are very informative.

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  13. Is the water very deep at the Dam? It will be fun if we can walk across those stones

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  14. Exciting looking tree and I absolutely have to explore there one of these days. It's gorgeous

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  15. Of course, I could spot you in the picture...you're prettier than the Joshua tree!

    Nice photos as always. Good to hear about this California desert tree. I'm sure I've seen them but didn't really know that much about Joshua trees until you so kindly enlightened me!


    http://www.steripen.com/steripen-blog

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  16. After seeing you in that photo, I realize how much these trees really do look like people standing there.

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  17. Simply beautiful. I am always a fan of your Joshua tree pictures.

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  18. im a U2 fan too, excellent series and i love the water reflection too.

    thank you for dropping by my page, i was never interested in photography, it was eng who encouraged and pushed me to take this craft.

    ..and thanks for the lovely comments but im still a very much newbie here, I only started almost three months back and there's more to learn and absorb.

    Dave here.

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  19. The view of barker dam is beautiful.

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  20. Very clever to make yourself look Joshua Tree, but in your case, it would be a betchai tree. ;) I have often wondered how the tree got its name.

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  21. they r not grotesque.. actually they r visually stunning

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  22. I am very partial to Joshua Trees (probably because I love U2). Thanks for the post.

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  23. I didn't know the Joshua tree was that useful. Very nice photo - the one with you jumping. :-) I love the color in the background.

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  24. PS, I used a Tamron 70-300mm Macro Zoom lens on Olivia

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  25. i love the rock boulders with the calm dark waters...it's just so captivating

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  26. The Joshua Tree grows only in the Mojave Desert. Natural stands of this picturesque, spike-leafed evergreen grow nowhere else in the world. Mormon pioneers named this species "Joshua" Tree because it mimicked the Old Testament prophet Joshua waving them, with upraised arms, on toward the promised land.

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  27. It is significant because it only grows in the Mojave, and because it was a symbol to early Mormons, signaling them to keep traveling across the dangerous Mojave to find their destiny.

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  28. Pretty nice post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I have really enjoyed browsing your blog posts. In any case I’ll be subscribing to your feed and I hope you write again soon!

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THANK YOU SO MUCH!!