Friday, March 21, 2008

Cholla Cacti

The Cholla is another signature cactus of the Sonoran Desert. In the top of this photo you can see the edge of the RV park. Over the past 50 years, and at an increasing rate in the past 15, the Sonoran Desert has been taken over by pavement and development. While it's hard to forget you're in a desert in Phoenix, it's easy to forget you're in the Sonoran Desert. One of the worlds most beautiful and unique deserts, it is succumbing to a sprawling urban area built using the suburban model of post-WWII America. Sonoran plants have been replaced by exotic species, including lots of palm trees and heavily watered grass.