Experts say Joshua Trees are going through an extraordinary blossoming cycle right now. The trees have been blossoming profusely throughout their range from Joshua Tree National Park to areas of Nevada and Arizona, sprouting abundant cream-colored flowers from the tips of their branches. Researchers say that while more study is needed to pinpoint causes, they suspect the unusual bloom could be linked to two years of drought, triggering a stronger reproductive effort as a sort of a collective survival mechanism. By producing more flowers and fruit, the trees are sending out more seeds, even as they are struggling to successfully reproduce in some southern and low-elevation portions of their range.
