Second Impressions

Plants that grow in arid, sometimes harsh environments often have protective qualities, like barbed spikes on a cactus, that contribute to our perceptions of them as dangerous or unappealing. While some people certainly appreciate desert plants, they do not get nearly as much love and affection as colorful, showy flowers. With a deeper look—a second impression—the intricate beauty and elegance inherent in nearly all desert plants can be a revelation. This gallery features mostly succulents, including cactuses, aloes, agaves, sedums, yuccas, echeverias, and more, and is a celebration of the graceful patterns found in these plants. I photographed many of these plants in wild desert places, like the Mojave and Sonoran deserts or the Colorado Plateau. I found others in botanical gardens scattered across the United States, with a few growing in my garden or living room.