Mojave Basin and Range is a dry, subtropical desert ecoregion located in southeastern California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah, and northwestern Arizona, characterized by scattered north-south trending mountains and broad basins, valleys, and old lakebeds.
Zone
Interior
Common Name
California Deserts & Southern Nevada (Mojave)
CEC Level III Code
10.2.1
CEC Level II Code
10.2 Warm Deserts
Overview
Region facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Aliases | California Deserts & Southern Nevada, Mojave Basin and Range, Mojave Desert, SoCal Desert, Southern Nevada Desert, CEC 10.2.1, Mojave Basin & Range, Mojave |
| Geographic Range | The Mojave Basin and Range is located in southeastern California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah, and northwestern Arizona. |
| Climate Snapshot | The Mojave Basin and Range has a dry, subtropical desert climate with hot summers and warm winters, featuring mean annual temperatures ranging from 5°C to 24°C, and low mean annual precipitation of 167 mm. |
| Terrain Profile | This ecoregion features scattered north-south trending mountains separated by broad basins and valleys, with elevations ranging from 85 m below sea level in Death Valley to over 3,300 masl on the highest mountain peaks. |
| Vegetation Cover | The vegetation is typically sparse desert shrubland dominated by creosote bush, white bursage, Joshua-tree, and blackbrush, with saltbush and grasses on alkali flats, and various pines, juniper, and sagebrush found in the mountains. |
| Wildlife Habitat | The Mojave Basin and Range is home to representative wildlife such as desert bighorn sheep, pronghorn, coyote, kit fox, black-tail jackrabbit, desert cottontail rabbit, greater roadrunner, Gambel's quail, mourning dove, desert tortoise, and rattlesnake. |
Eco snapshot
The vegetation is typically sparse desert shrubland dominated by creosote bush, white bursage, Joshua-tree, and blackbrush, with saltbush and grasses on alkali flats, and various pines, juniper, and sagebrush found in the mountains.
The Mojave Basin and Range is home to representative wildlife such as desert bighorn sheep, pronghorn, coyote, kit fox, black-tail jackrabbit, desert cottontail rabbit, greater roadrunner, Gambel’s quail, mourning dove, desert tortoise, and rattlesnake.
Seasonal timing
Yearly needs
What pollinators need throughout the year, and what to do about it.
| Season | What pollinators need most | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
| Late winter/early spring | Early nectar/pollen; safe nesting start | Plant/maintain early-blooming natives; leave some bare soil; avoid spraying |
| Spring | Lots of flowers; water sources; nesting materials | Add a “bloom ladder” (several species); plant in clumps; provide a shallow water dish with stones |
| Summer | Heat refuge; reliable blooms; hydration | Prioritize heat-tolerant bloomers; add afternoon shade where possible; water new plants deeply but less often |
| Late summer/fall | “Bridge” blooms before winter; seed set | Add late bloomers; let some plants go to seed; keep stems/leaf litter for shelter |
| Winter or Dry Season | Shelter; undisturbed nesting sites | Don’t over-tidy; leave stems and natural corners; plan next season’s plant additions |
Seed mix concept
Spring starter: Fast, early bloomers that take advantage of cooler conditions and seasonal moisture
Summer bridge: Heat-tolerant flowers (often perennials/shrubs) that keep nectar going through the hottest stretch
Fall finisher: Late-season bloomers that support pollinators when many landscapes go quiet
What You Can Do
Turn this knowledge into action. Whether you plant a single pot or a whole garden, you are building a vital bridge for local biodiversity.
Join the movement to restore our shared habitats.
Native plants
Agaves are bold, sculptural succulents that store water in thick leaves and thrive in bright, dry spots. Their flowers can be a big seasonal draw for pollinators when plants are mature and in bloom.
Creosote bush (genus Larrea) is a tough, sun-loving shrub known for its small yellow flowers and resin-scented leaves. It’s best for dry, open spaces where you want a low-water plant that can still offer nectar and pollen when in bloom.
Desert mallows (globe mallows) are tough, sun-loving plants in the genus Sphaeralcea that bring warm-colored blooms and easy pollinator value to dry, low-fuss gardens and containers.
Desert marigolds are sunny, daisy-like wildflowers in the genus Baileya that bring bright color and steady nectar to warm, open garden spots.
Mesquites are tough, drought-adapted trees in the genus Prosopis that can add shade and seasonal flowers to dry landscapes while offering nectar and pollen for a range of pollinators.
Ocotillo is a dramatic desert shrub in the genus Fouquieria, known for tall, wand-like stems and bright flower clusters that can be a valuable nectar stop when in bloom.
Organ pipe & relatives are columnar cacti in the genus Stenocereus, grown for their bold, upright stems and showy blooms that can offer nectar and pollen when flowers are open.
Penstemons (beardtongues) are hardy, flower-filled wildflowers that bring bright color and steady nectar to gardens and containers, especially in sunny spots with well-drained soil.
Phacelias are easygoing wildflowers in the genus Phacelia, known for their nectar-rich blooms that can bring lots of pollinator activity to gardens, schoolyards, and even containers.
Prickly pears are tough, sun-loving cacti (genus Opuntia) with bright blooms that can offer nectar and pollen when in flower. They’re best for warm, bright spots and gardeners who want a low-water plant with big character.
Prickly poppies (genus Argemone) are bold, spiny wildflowers with papery blooms that can add bright color and nectar to sunny, low-fuss garden spots.
Saguaros are iconic desert cacti that grow slowly, live a long time, and offer seasonal flowers that can support pollinators when grown in the right conditions.
Wild buckwheats (genus Eriogonum) are tough, long-blooming western native wildflowers that can turn dry, sunny spots into reliable pollinator stops.
Yucca is a group of bold, architectural plants with spiky leaves and tall flower stalks that can add structure to sunny gardens and containers. Many yuccas are tough once established and can be a low-fuss way to offer nectar to visiting pollinators when in bloom.
Pollinators
Adults visit flowers for nectar and can move pollen between blooms; their presence is a sign of diverse, functioning habitats.
Bumble bees are important pollinators of many wildflowers and garden plants, helping ecosystems and food crops reproduce.
Adults can move pollen between blooms, and their presence can signal how healthy local plant communities are.
They move pollen between flowers while feeding, helping wild plants and many garden plants set seed and fruit.
Adults visit flowers for nectar and pollen, and many species’ larvae help keep plant-eating pests in check.
They can move pollen between flowers while feeding on nectar, especially for blooms that open or scent up in the evening.
They move pollen between flowers while feeding, helping many plants reproduce.
They move pollen between flowers while foraging, helping many wild plants and garden plants set seed and fruit.
They move pollen between flowers as they feed, supporting seed and fruit set in many wild plants and some crops.
They move pollen between flowers over long distances, helping some plants set fruit and seed.
They move pollen between flowers while foraging, helping many wild plants and garden plants set seed and fruit.
They move pollen between flowers over long distances and help many plants set fruit and seed.
They can move pollen while drinking nectar, and they also help control many plant-eating insects.
Many small moths move pollen while feeding on nectar, supporting wild plants and garden blooms—especially in the evening and at night.
Many adults visit flowers and can move pollen between blooms, while also helping control some garden pests.
Many adults visit flowers for nectar and can move pollen between blooms while feeding.
They help move pollen between flowers in gardens, parks, and natural areas, supporting seed and fruit production.
