How to Grow and Care for Joshua Tree

Joshua tree is an iconic, slow-growing evergreen synonymous with the Mojave Desert that can grow to over 30 feet. These trees are only suitable for desert-like conditions, such as xeriscape landscapes and rock gardens. Joshua trees need full sunlight, coarse, well-draining soil, and limited access to water to thrive.

Joshua Tree Care

A highly-cultivated, garden environment isn't ideal for a Joshua tree, but if you live in desert-like conditions, this evergreen may be the right choice for you. Here are the main care requirements for a Joshua tree:

• Choose a sunny location that gets at least eight hours of direct, unfiltered sun per day.
• Plant in extremely well-draining, sandy, rocky soil.
• Consider that Joshua trees only prosper in hot, dry climates with little to no humidity.
• Water rarely and only when the soil is incredibly dry; no more than once a month even during its growing season.
• Fertilize minimally or not at all.
  

Light

As you would expect of a tree native to the desert, it needs a full sun position to thrive.

Soil

Joshua trees can grow in sandy, loamy, rocky, and clay soils, but they must be well-drained and dry. Unlike many plants, the poorer the quality of soil, the better they are likely to grow. Fertile, rich soil is not the Joshua tree's friend.

Water

This is a highly drought-tolerant tree. Established Joshua trees only need supplemental watering in periods of drought. When the ground is dry, dusty, and crumbly to the touch, you can water until the soil is saturated. Don't water it again until it fully dries out, at a maximum of once per month during the growing season. Overwatering can lead to root rot.

Temperature and Humidity

For your Joshua tree to survive, the climate should replicate the extreme, elevated Mojave Desert as closely as possible. It needs a scorching hot, dry summer and a cold winter. Without a dormant period, the tree will die, so these changes in temperatures are important. They can tolerate winters as cold as 12 degrees Fahrenheit and summers as hot as 120 degrees Fahrenheit. It's certainly not a tree for growing in the tropical, humid southern regions or in areas with high volumes of rainfall.

Fertilizer

Wild Joshua trees thrive in poor, infertile soils, so they shouldn't need supplemental feeding. Fertilizing may encourage faster growth, but this can alter the naturally appealing form of the tree.

If you want to use fertilizer, select a slow-release type suitable for desert plants or a mild, slightly acidic organic option like a fish emulsion. It won't need regular feeding—an annual dose or one in late spring and early fall is sufficient.

Types of Joshua Tree

Joshua tree is not a highly cultivated species. In fact, that are only two recognized sub-species of Joshua tree: Y. brevifolia var. brevifolia and Y. brevifolia var. jaegeriana. The latter is a dwarf tree version, which typically grows to around 10 feet and has shorter branches than the standard Y. brevifolia.

Pruning

Part of the appeal of the Joshua tree is its distinctive natural form—it won't need any pruning other than to remove any old, damaged flowering stems. By leaving the branches with dry leaves, they can insulate the plant in cold winters by absorbing moisture.

How to Grow Joshua Tree From Seed

Growing Yucca brevifolia from seed is tricky but not impossible. The flowers can only be pollinated by a species of moth native to the trees natural habitat, so hand-pollination using the likes of a small paintbrush is often necessary. For best results, you should sow fully ripe and fresh seeds.

1. Seeds are usually ready to harvest in late summer. The seed pods should be dry with black rather than tan seeds inside and not fully split open.
2. Once you have collected the black seeds, check them over to make sure they don't have any holes in them. This will only be a problem in native areas where the moth larvae may eat the seeds.
3. Use a shallow tray with a moist paper towel on it and place the seeds on this and then cover them with another moist paper towel.
4. Keep the tray at room temperature and moisten the paper towels whenever they start to dry out. Make sure, however, that the seeds are not sitting in water.
5. After around 10 days, there should be stems starting to sprout from the seed end.
6. Once these shoots appear, they can be moved into a fresh potting mix and kept in a greenhouse. Because the seedlings won't appreciate being disturbed while establishing, select a large container rather than a small pot, so you don't need to transplant them for at least the first two winters.
7. Make sure the white sprouting stems are facing up when you pot them.
   

How to Get Joshua Tree to Bloom

Getting Joshua tree to bloom is challenging, as weather conditions must be perfect. It may not reliably bloom each year.

Bloom Months

Joshua tree blooms in the spring, from March until May.

What Do Joshua Tree Flowers Look and Smell Like?

Joshua tree produces densely clustered panicles that can be up to 20 inches long. The small, individual, white-green flowers are oval-shaped and have an unpleasant, mushroom-like fragrance.

How to Encourage More Blooms

Keep in mind that not every Joshua tree flowers annually. Freezing winter conditions stimulate the following season's flowers, and too little or too much rainfall can also impact blooming success rates. Both of these factors are out of the grower's control. Provide proper care and hope for the best.

Caring for Joshua Tree After It Blooms

Joshua tree does not require any unique care after it blooms. Continue minimal care.

Deadheading Joshua Tree Flowers

There is no need to deadhead Joshua tree flowers, as this will not encourage additional blooming.