Central Desert

The Central Desert region of Baja California is the stereotypical part of Baja California that is recognized by most naturalists.  Landscapes covered with Cirio Trees (Fouquieria columnaris), large columnar cacti (especially Pachycereus pringlei), and Elephant Trees (Pachycormus discolor) are what most people, who know something about Baja California nature  (a small minority of the population), think of when visualizing Baja California.  Most of the common photos are taken within a few miles of the small roadside town/village of Cataviña, situated among granite bounder fields.

Relief map showing the regions of the Central Desert and the Vizcaino Desert. Some towns are noted. “LA Bay” is the anglo shorthand, the proper name is Bahia de los Angeles. The delineations here (ours) are very rough and transitions between the various biotic provinces in Baja California are rarely distinct. Refer to the floristic province map for more precision.

Many species found in the Central Desert of Baja California are only found in this region, while many others have a much wider distribution. Some cacti like Cylindropuntia molesta, C. tesajo and Ferocactus gracilis are primarily Central Desert species (see below).

The Inaturalist observations of Cylindropuntia molesta – one of the nastiest chollas. It is most common in the central desert.
The distribution of Cylindropuntia tesajo observations from Inaturalist.
Observations of the Red-flowered Barrel Cactus Ferocactus gracilis from Inaturalist. Although there are some outliers in favorable locations, the species is mostly found in the central desert.
Observations of the Red-flowered Barrel Cactus Ferocactus gracilis from Inaturalist. Although there are some outliers in favorable locations, the species is mostly found in the central desert.
Distributions of some cacti that are mostly restricted to the Central Desert of Baja California. From Inaturalist. (Click on images to see the captions.)
Inaturalist observations of the Cirio (Fouquieria columnaris) – formerly Idria columnaris. The observations on the mainland side of the Gulf of California are correct – this population near Puerto Libertad is the only east side of the Gulf population. Observations near Tijuana or San Diego are planted specimens. The species is tightly restricted to the central part of Baja California and not in the Gulf Coast Desert.
Inaturalist distribution of Pachycormus discolor. Possible outliers may not be accurate, but most observatiosn are from the Central Desert and Vizcaino regions.
Inaturalist observations of two iconic plants of the Central Desert. On left is Fouquieria columnaris (Cirio or Boojum) and on the right is the Baja California Elephant Tree (Pachycormus discolor). The latter has a wider distribution, but some of these observations may be erroneous or misidentifications, especially those south of La Paz or in the far north. The greatest density of Pachycormus lies in the central part of the peninsula.
Flower of a Cardon (Pachycereus pringlei). Note beetle to its right.
Perhaps the most hazardous cholla in Baja California (Cylindropuntia molesta). An apt scientific name…
A tall Cylindropuntia alcahes. Lots of cholla species look somewhat similar but this one is only found in Baja California. It can look very different in different climatic conditions. (this is a timer-delay tripod photo – I was not sure how close my head was to the cholla above me, hence my bent-over appearance!)
A view just after sunrise just outside Cataviña.
A cholla (Cylindropuntia tesajo) with a distribution restricted to the central desert. It has thin stems but long spines and is similar to C. ramosissima of the US SW deserts, which it overlaps in northern Baja.
Hillside dominated with Fouquieria columnaris, small Pachycereus pringlei and Senita (Lophocereus schottii)
Looking up the wash south of Cataviña, showing both Washingtonia robusta and Brahea armata growing together. High humidity early morning view in April 2019.
A Cylindropuntia alcahes in flower near Cataviña.
The landscape around Cataviña is great for landscape photography with an emphasis on some of the plants. Here is an early morning near-silhouette grayscale image. Such an image emphasizes the forms of the plants.
A large “koppe” – a pile of bounders eroded from the basement granite beneath. These huge bounders emphasize the spheroidal weathering of granite – the rounding of their corners faster than their sides leads to spherical shapes. Just outside Cataviña, Senita and Cardon in the foreground.
Not-so-tall Cirio Trees with their leaves turning yellow and soon to fall.
Not-so-tall Cirio Trees with their leaves turning yellow and soon to fall.
Flowers of an Ocotillo, Fouquieria diguetii.
Upper stems of a Senita (Lophocereus schottii) near Cataviña.
Flower of a Senita.
Cylindropuntia molesta. Need I say more? The species is common in central Baja California.
Bonsai Elephant Tree (Pachycormus discolor) in granite crack near Cataviña.
Senita showing flower in early morning at the spine concentration at the top of the stem.
A small Cirio Tree (Fouquieria columnaris) growing out of a crack in granite at Cataviña.
Silhouette of a Senita stem showing the long, thin spines on the upper part of the stem.
Pachycormus discolor (Baja California Elephant Tree) near Cataviña.
Small Cirio Tree.
Both Washingtonia robusta (dark green leaves) and Brahea armata (blueish leaves) growing together in the was just south of Cataviña. Not all palms were restricted to the wash itself, with some plants growing on the surrounding slopes.
Silhouette of an Ocotillo just before sunset.
The Cardons (Pachycereus pringlei) near Cataviña can get to be very large. This one had a massive trunk – compared with Saguaro cactus in Arizona the lower trunks of Cardons are much thicker. they also tend to branch closer to the base.
Cardon and Cholla (Cylindropuntia alcahes?) near sunset at Cataviña.
Pachycormus discolor trunk. Pachycormus is in the Cashew Family (Anacardiaceae).
Field of flowering Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) near Cataviña. Also plenty of Agave.
A tall Barrel Cactus (Ferocactus gracilis) northwest of Cataviña.
View of landscape near Cataviña.
Landscape near Cataviña showing both volcanic rock substrate (at top) and granitic substrate (below). Note the very different development of vegetation on the two substrates.
A field of Cardon (Pachycereus pringlei) near Cataviña.
Silhouette of a multi-branched Cirio.
Silhouette of a multi-branched Cardon.
A palm (Brahea armata) growing near Cataviña. Although most palms grow in washes where near-permanent water exists, some grow away from the washes. This is one growing among boulders a bit away from a major wash.
A silhouette of what cactus? Quiz question.
A Turkey Vulture sitting on a Cardon outside our hotel room in Cataviña.
Brahea armata growing along a small wash at Cataviña.
Silhouette of Pachycereus pringlei, Pachycormus discolor and Fouquieria columnaris.
Silhouette of a multibranched Fouquieria columnaris among the boulders of Cataviña.
Sunset scene outside of Cataviña.
Brahea armata near Cataviña.
Silhouette of Pachycereus pringlei, Pachycormus discolor and Fouquieria columnaris.
Large Cardon on hillside near Cataviña.
Among the granitic boulders are succulents of the genus Dudleya (family Crassulaceae). Here are the flower stalks – the plants themselves are hidden from view.
A large “kopje” – eroded basement granite that appears like a boulder pile. North of Cataviña.
An Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) in flower.
There is federal protection of the region…but honestly not much…
Fruits of Brahea armata.
Agave shawii in flower along with Pachycereus pringlei. At the junction between the road to Bahia de los Angeles and the main Highway(1).
Images from around Cataviña and the central desert of Baja California.

Cylindropuntia tesajo stems and flowers.
Flower of Cylindropuntia tesajo with insects.
Cylindropuntia tesajo, a cholla restricted to the central desert region of Baja California. Photos are made by image stacking (camera on tripod).

Although a very small overall component of the flora, one of the more memorable items of the flora around Cataviña are the fan palms found in the large washes that the main highway crosses both before and immediately after the town (as you proceed southward).  There are two species, one with green leaves (Washington filifera – the same as that found in the California desert) and one with distinctly blueish leaves (Brahea armata).  This is the first time most tourists will have seen the latter palms; they are not common along the main route – in fact this is probably the only place naturalists traveling the main highway will see them.

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