What desert plants live the longest?

Many desert plants live for decades or even centuries. A saguaro cactus can be 200 years or older and the ironwood plant can live for 800 years. But they are babies compared to the creosote [cree-oh-sote] plant. Although it is hard to date them precisely, scientists think some creosote plants may be 7000 to 8000 years old!

As it grows, the main stem, or crown, of the creosote plant splits into several pieces. (Imagine a tree trunk splitting into sections.) Branches grow out from each of these sections. This pattern continues year after year. Eventually the older stems and branches in the center of the plant die and rot away. Over the years, this results in a large ring of bushes surrounding an empty space. One of the oldest bush rings is more than 15 meters (45 feet) across.