Plants That Grow in the Gobi Desert

Wild Onion

• The wild onion (Allium polyrhizum) is an essential food source for the herds of the nomads who roam the desert. The wild onion produces dense spikes of flowers that are typically purple-red and occasionally white. The bulb of the plant is less than inch in diameter and tends to grow densely clustered with others of the same species.

Gray Sparrow's Saltwort

• Gray sparrow's saltwort (Salsola passerina) is a shrub that can grow to between 5 and 10 inches tall. It has woody, gray-brown branches and triangular leaves. Its spikelike flowers range in color from yellowish brown to purplish red. These shrubs occur in lower areas and often are found in dry lake basins. They tolerate the salty conditions in some parts of the Gobi desert where other plants cannot thrive.

Saxaul

• The saxaul (Haloxylon ammodendron) is a woodsy shrub that is nearly leafless. It can grow to between 6 and 12 feet high, and survive on rocky terrain, hillsides and in shifting sand. These shrubs prevent erosion and provide essential forage for desert nomads' camels. Its roots support a parasitic plant known as Cistanche deserticola that the nomads use as an energy source.The bark of the saxaul holds water, allowing the plant to collect more water than it needs and store it for drier times.

Tamarisk

• The tamarisk (Tamarix arceuthoides) is also is known as the saltcedar and the athel tree. It grows to a height of between 8 and 16 feet and typically is narrower than it is tall. The leaves are very small and the branches are very thin. The tamarisk produces pink or white flowers that drop off to create tiny brown fruit. This Gobi desert plant puts down deep roots that allow it to catch and store more water.

Needlegrass

• Needlegrass (Stipa gobica) is a tall herb with low, flat, narrow leaves. It produces very small blooms when there is enough moisture. Needlegrass helps prevent the Gobi desert from suffering from erosion and also is an important source of forage for camels and other grazing animals.