This desert ecosystem includes over 160 different species of plant. Many of the animal inhabitants of the DTNA feed upon these plants. The desert tortoise meets its nutritional needs by consuming a wide variety of plant materials. The article concentrates on DTNA plants stocked by the Theodore Payne Foundation which is currently the only source that many of these native California plants can be purchased from.
Seed can be mail ordered directly.
See the end of article for the address and phone number. Desert tortoises in their native habitat feed on annual wild flowers, annual and perennial grasses, and the pads and buds of some cactus species. These plants germinate, grow, flower, set seed, and die in one growing season. The seed they have set will germinate and grow under the right conditions the following season. Perennial plants may live through several to many seasons.