---
author: Grace Hopper
date: '2019-07-09T16:04:44.000Z'
hero_image: /johannes-andersson-joshua-tree.jpg
title: An otherworldly desert
---
The Joshua tree is also called _izote de desierto_ (Spanish, "desert dagger").[\[6\]](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yucca_brevifolia#cite_note-ITIS-6) It was first formally described in the botanical literature as _Yucca brevifolia_ by [George Engelmann](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Engelmann "George Engelmann") in 1871 as part of the Geological Exploration of the 100th meridian (or "[Wheeler Survey](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheeler_Survey "Wheeler Survey")").[\[7\]](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yucca_brevifolia#cite_note-IPNI-7)

The name "Joshua tree" is commonly said to have been given by a group of [Mormon](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormon "Mormon") settlers crossing the Mojave Desert in the mid-19th century: The tree's role in guiding them through the desert combined with its unique shape reminded them of [a biblical story](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conquest_of_Ai "Conquest of Ai") in which [Joshua](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joshua "Joshua") keeps his hands reached out for an extended period of time to guide the Israelites in their conquest of Canaan ([Joshua 8:18–26](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Bible_(King_James)/Joshua#8:18 "s:Bible (King James)/Joshua")).[\[8\]](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yucca_brevifolia#cite_note-jtnp-8)[\[9\]](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yucca_brevifolia#cite_note-9)[\[10\]](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yucca_brevifolia#cite_note-10) However, no direct or contemporary attestation of this origin exists, and the name Joshua tree is not recorded until after Mormon contact;[\[8\]](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yucca_brevifolia#cite_note-jtnp-8)[\[11\]](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yucca_brevifolia#cite_note-11) moreover, the physical appearance of the Joshua tree more closely resembles [a similar story](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rephidim "Rephidim") told of [Moses](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moses "Moses").[\[12\]](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yucca_brevifolia#cite_note-12)

Ranchers and miners who were contemporary with the Mormon immigrants used the trunks and branches as fencing and for fuel for ore-processing steam engines. They referred to these fallen or collapsed Joshua trees as _tevis_ stumps.\[_[citation needed](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed "Wikipedia:Citation needed")_\]

In addition to the [autonymic](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autonym_(botany) "Autonym (botany)") [subspecies](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subspecies "Subspecies") _Yucca brevifolia_ subsp. _brevifolia_, two other subspecies have been described:[\[13\]](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yucca_brevifolia#cite_note-13) _Y. b._ subsp. _jaegeriana_ (the Jaeger Joshua tree or Jaeger's Joshua tree or pygmae yucca) and _Y. b._ subsp. _herbertii_ (Webber's yucca or Herbert Joshua tree), though both are sometimes treated as varieties[\[6\]](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yucca_brevifolia#cite_note-ITIS-6)[\[14\]](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yucca_brevifolia#cite_note-Grandtner2005-14)[\[15\]](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yucca_brevifolia#cite_note-15) or forms.[\[16\]](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yucca_brevifolia#cite_note-Egglid2001-16)

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