Short Life Cycles

Sometimes there is not enough water to keep plants growing all year round, especially in desert areas. Plants in these regions make sure they get to form seeds, by having a short life cycle. That means that they grow quickly, flower and form seeds while there's still enough water in the soil. A good example of this is the wildflower Everlastings (helichrysum) shown here on the left.

When this happens in the desert it is called a desert bloom. The pictures below are from the Arizona desert in the USA. The two pictures show how dramatically the scenery can change. For more information about desert blooming visit the Arizona Sonara Desert Museum website.