I’VE ALWAYS HAD an interest in the flora of my native New England. There was so much to learn about native and introduced plants that could be used for food, fuel, medicine, building materials, ornamentation and more.
When I travel to places with markedly different climates and soils, I am also fascinated by the way the flora has evolved in response to those conditions. As I’ve mentioned in past articles, popular travel destinations often harbor first-class horticultural collections and arboreta in close proximity. It is well worth researching plant-related attractions before setting out on your vacation.
Covid-related restrictions, both imposed and self-imposed, suppressed travel for me for a couple of years. When a safe-looking opportunity presented itself in late 2021, I quickly finalized travel arrangements. We were off to the Phoenix area of Arizona!
TOUCH DOWN IN THE DESERT
One could never mistake the Arizonan desert climate for the humid-continental climate of New England. Vast expanses of the Sonoran Desert, which encompasses parts of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, look like they have always looked. Cacti, particularly the iconic saguaro and organ pipe, populate arid land that stretches to the horizon or the base of a mountain range. Even while driving the highway from Phoenix to Buckeye,
