“I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together: that they may see ... that the hand of the Lord hath done this.” Isaiah 41:19-2019I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together: 20That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the Lord hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it. (Isaiah 41:19‑20)
While the trees in the opening verse don’t normally grow in deserts just yet, some trees do. The Lord has put Joshua trees in North American deserts, and many living creatures around them are helped by them. Joshua trees are found in the Mojave Desert in parts of Utah, Nevada, Arizona and California and in northwestern Mexico. A large grove of them can be seen as you drive through the Joshua Tree National Monument in southern California where the soil and rainfall are just right for them.
Some Joshua trees grow up to 40 feet tall. They have a thick, woody trunk, with an assortment of branches that end in clusters of thick, dark-green spikes. A large cluster of greenish-white flowers grows in the center of these spikes after the winter rains. New branches grow from the dried stalk after the flowers drop off, at many angles, but the branch that has flowered does not grow any longer.
The Creator has arranged that Joshua trees do not usually grow close together. Each tree needs plenty of space for its roots to spread out in order to collect enough rain as well as nourishment from the poor desert soil.
The Lord has placed them in the desert for a purpose. They shelter and support the lives of many animals, birds and other kinds of desert life. Many bird species build their nests in the crooks of Joshua tree branches. A wood rat nest may be built at the base of a pile of rocks using the Joshua tree’s spiny leaves for protection. Their branches and thick foliage provide hiding places for many animals and shade from the heat of the desert. Sweet nectar for pollinators is found in their flowers, while their fruit is a food source for various animals. Desert animals that eat this fruit help the Joshua trees by spreading their seeds around the desert.
Slow growers, Joshua trees only grow one-half inch to three inches per year. Since they don’t have growth rings like many trees, their age is estimated from their height. Their average lifespan is thought to be around 500 years, but at least one is thought to be up to 1000 years old.
The Joshua tree brings to mind a song that says, “Beneath the cross of Jesus, I want to take my stand, the shadow of a mighty rock within a weary land.” Just as the Joshua tree provides shelter and food for many animals in the hot, dry desert, faith in what the Lord Jesus did on the cross gives us safety from the judgment about to come to this world and access to all of the blessings that God has planned for us.
Did You Know?
Joshua trees don’t have growth rings.
Messages of God’s Love 6/15/2025