Desert candle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Desert candle |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Caulanthus
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| Species: |
inflatus
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The desert candle (scientific name: Caulanthus inflatus) is a unique flowering plant. It is also sometimes called "squaw cabbage." This plant belongs to the Brassicaceae family, which includes plants like cabbage and broccoli.
You can find the desert candle growing naturally in the Mojave Desert. This desert stretches across parts of California and Nevada. It also grows in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains and the Transverse Ranges in the United States. This interesting plant usually lives at elevations between 150 and 1,500 meters (about 490 to 4,900 feet) above sea level.
What Does the Desert Candle Look Like?
The desert candle is an annual plant. This means it completes its whole life cycle, from seed to flower to seed, within one year. It can grow quite tall, sometimes reaching up to 70 centimeters (about 2.3 feet) in height.
Its Unique Stem
One of the most striking features of the desert candle is its stem. It is thick and swollen, often looking like a bright yellow candle. This gives the plant its common name.
Leaves and Flowers
The leaves at the bottom of the plant, called basal leaves, are usually 2 to 7 centimeters (about 0.8 to 2.8 inches) long. As you look higher up the stem, the leaves become smaller. The desert candle produces small flowers. Each flower has four petals that are a reddish-purple color.
