Specific Plants of the Atacama Desert

• Cacti can be found in the Atacama desert. Steve Allen/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images

  Very little plant life lives in the Atacama Desert, which is a 600-mile strip of land in Chile along the Pacific coast of South America. West of the inland Andes Mountains, the Atacama Desert receives virtually no rain and is one of the driest deserts in the world. Only the hardiest and most drought-resistant plans can survive in this area.

Copiapoa

• Copiapoa is a genus that belongs to the family of Cactaceae. It can only be found in the northern sections of Chile and along the Atacama Desert's coastline. Named after a town in Chile, Copiapoa are globose-cylindrical plants that develop defined ribs that produce flowers. The flowers are usually yellow, although some species have flowers that are bluish green or deep green to brown. The flowers are between one and two inches in diameter, have a funnel shape and are uniform between one plant and another. Some Copiacopa form as individuals, while others form in clumps. They draw their moisture from fog along the coast.

Deuterocohnia Chrysantha

• Deuterocohnia Chrysantha is a plant species of the genus Deuterocohnia that grows in the Atacama Desert. The shrub has stems that can reach nearly four feet in height and produces flowers ranging in colors from bright yellow to yellow to orange and red. The flowers come out of the center of the plant. Deuterocohnia Chrysantha does not die after flowering and is easy to cultivate from seed. The seeds can be kept in storage for long periods of time and germinate quickly, usually between five and nine days.

Prosopis Chilensis

• Prosopis chilensis, which is also known as Chilean mesquite, is a member of the Fabaceae family. It is a broad tree with semi-evergreen foliage. It can spread to 30 feet in length and height and produces flowers that are yellowish or cream colored. It blooms in spring and early summer and can sometimes retain its leafs through the winter. Some of its specimens produce thorns in their early stages. The trunks are also smooth when young, although they grow rougher with age. It can adapt to various soils, including those found in the Atacama Desert, and is propagated through seed. Chilean mesquite is a very durable and drought-tolerant plant, because it can draw water from roots that extend deep into the ground.