PlantFiles: Desert Unicorn-plant, Golden Devil's Claw
Proboscidea althaeifolia

The Desert Devil's Claw is a native plant in Tucson and surrounding areas. In my experience they seem to love sandy soil but don't seem to like harder mineral rich soil. This plant produces a sizeable tuber which can be transplanted durring the plants dormant period. It seems like this plant likes to remain dormant until monsoon season. That is a period of time in Tucson where the day time temps are around 100 and the humidity rises a bit and we have frequent evening thunder storms. The plant tends to go back into dormancy after monsoon season if it is not irrigated and even then it tends to go dormant when the day time temperatures start to cool into the 80's.

If the conditions are not right, this plant can skip seasons and remain dormant.

The plant spreads by producing seed pods that look like two or four finger claws. I was surprised at how effective this method of spreading is as I occasionally end up with one of these claws clutching my shoe or pant leg. I can see these things being spread by animals who get "grabbed" by the hind leg and end up wondering a bit before they get a chance to get the claw to let go.