| Nevada’s native plants are diverse and fascinating. Here, we feature selections of plants you are most likely to see while out hiking—arranged by elevation. So if you like to hike in the lower valleys, have a look at the Mojave Desert Scrub section. If your strong legs and lungs take you up some of the state’s highest peaks, check out the Alpine section. Plants found in Mixed Conifer Forest and Sagebrush Steppe fall in the elevations in between. And at the bottom of this opening page, you’ll also find information about Nevada’s three primary bio-regions. (This plant section was researched and written by NWP volunteer Jaime Souza. |
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Hidden Forest in the Desert Refuge to Mt. Charleston -
Photo by Tyler Roemer
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Alpine. At about 10,500 feet, there's not enough sunlight and heat during the growing season to promote tree growth:
- 10,500 feet and up; trees just below this elevation are short, and they are shaped by wind and weather
- Plants huddle under rocks or grow in ground-hugging mats.
- Dominant plants: Whitebark pine, mountain hemlock, and alpine willow
Mixed Conifer Forest. The rain shadow effect is diminished and replaced by wildflower meadows, blue alpine lakes, cascading streams and waterfalls, and glacier-carved granite:
- 7,500 – 11,500 feet; she sage holds on at 7,500 feet but soon trails behind as you climb in elevation
- Winter brings heavy snow; brief summer showers
- Dominant plants: lodgepole pine, ponderosa pine, cedar, and white and red fir
Great Basin Sagebrush Steppe. The Great Basin covers most of Nevada, southern Oregon and Idaho:
- 4,500-7,500 feet; colder, higher and somewhat wetter desert than the Mojave
- 10 inches average annual precipitation, semi-arid
- Dominant plants: sagebrush, ephedra, shadscale and rabbitbrush
Mojave Desert Scrub. Southern California, southwest corner of Utah and southern Nevada:
- Up to 4,500 feet; this is an arid vegetation zone
- 2-8 inches rain/year from summer thunderstorms
- Dominant plants include creosote, Joshua trees and teddy bear cholla
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 In Nevada, the Great Basin bio-region is dominated by sage, sage and more sage. At least that's what seems to be true at first glance. Look more closely, however, and the diversity of Nevada’s vegetation becomes apparent, especially as you travel from lower to higher elevation. That's why we organized our plant selections by the four elevations mentioned above. However, it is still important to recognize the USGS's Floristic Provinces (see illustration) and the three largest vegetation zones in the state of Nevada:
Northern Great Basin (Valley Zone - turquoise on the map) The northern Great Basin sagebrush-steppe lies between salt deserts that stretch across valleys and the woodlands, conifer forests, and alpine meadows that occur as elevation increases. This zone is characterized by sagebrush, such as Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata var. wyomingensis), mountain big sagebrush (A. tridentata var. vaseyana), and low sagebrush (A. arbuscula). The sagebrush species here are highly adapted to dry conditions, seasonal precipitation and volcanic soil.
Southern Great Basin (Montane Zone - sage-green on the map) The southern Great Basin falls south of the sagebrush steppe and north of the Mojave region, which is represented by dominant creosote (Larrea tridentat) and blackbrush (Coleogyne ramosissima) deserts. Sagebrush is a common plant species in this region (Artemisia tridentata var. wyomingensis, A. tridentata var. vaseyana, A. arbuscula and A. nova). In the southern Great Basin, sagebrush communities can be found in mid-range to higher elevations; traveling up the slopes of mountains.
Mojave (Southern Desert Shrub Zone - southern tip of the state) Southern Nevada is dominated by plants such as the creosote bush, Joshua trees, beavertail cacti, teddy bear cholla and rock rose. This is a region of very little rainfall; 2-8 inches per year from summer thunderstorms. |
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