Plants

Straddling three waterways and encompassing more than 300 acres of riparian habitat, Confluence Park is host to a stunning variety of plant life. The Virgin River flows from its headwaters on the Markagunt Plateau through the park and on to its eventual union with the Colorado River in Lake Mead. The iconic desert river shapes stunning natural scenery like Zion National Park. It serves as a primary water source for millions of residents and visitors. And it gives the confluence a unique character while sustaining life at the base of the basalt cliffs.  Featured below are a few of the species that can be found in the park.


Trees

Palm heavy with fruit


Fremont cottonwood
Populus fremontii
Credit: Emily Hassell

Palm heavy with fruit

Desert willow
Chilopsis linearis
Credit: Hannah Schwalbe

Palm heavy with fruit

Honey mesquite
Neltuma glandulosa
Credit: K. Schneider

Palm heavy with fruit


Velvet ash
Fraxinus velutina
Credit: Joe Decruyenaere

Palm heavy with fruit

Single-leaf ash
Fraxinus anomala
Credit: Bryant Olsen

Palm heavy with fruit

Sonoran scrub oak
Quercus turbinella
Credit: Kaden Slone


Shrubs

Palm heavy with fruit


Creosote bush
Larrea tridentata
Credit: Jim Boone

Palm heavy with fruit

Fourwing saltbush
Atriplex canescens
Credit: Robb Hannawacker

Palm heavy with fruit

Blackbrush
Coleogyne ramosissima
Credit: Tom Pick

Palm heavy with fruit


Sand sagebrush
Artemisia filifolia
Credit: Cameron Rognan

Palm heavy with fruit

Big sagebrush
Artemisia tridentata
Credit: Dylan Taylor

Palm heavy with fruit

White bursage/burrobush
Ambrosia dumosa
Credit: Andrey Zharkikh

Palm heavy with fruit


Mormon tea
Ephedra viridis
Credit: Amy Washuta

Palm heavy with fruit

Broom snakeweed
Gutierrezia sarothrae
Credit: Carol Jacobs-Carre

Palm heavy with fruit

Rubber rabbitbrush
Ericameria nauseosa
Credit: Tom Pick


Flowers

Palm heavy with fruit


Sacred datura
Datura wrightii
Credit: Matt Lavin

Palm heavy with fruit

Desert marigold
Baileya multiradiata
Credit: Larry Cazier

Palm heavy with fruit

Common paintbrush
Castilleja miniata
Credit: Philip Bouchard

Palm heavy with fruit


Colorado four o’clock
Mirabilis multiflora
Credit: Jerry Oldenettel

Palm heavy with fruit

Desert trumpet
Eriogonum inflatum
Credit: Andrey Zharkikh

Palm heavy with fruit

Desert globemallow
Sphaeralcea ambigua
Credit: Cindy Zackowitz


Grasses

Palm heavy with fruit


Sand ricegrass
Eriocoma hymenoides
Credit: Tony Frates

Palm heavy with fruit

Sideoats grama
Bouteloua curtipendula
Credit: Robert Karp

Palm heavy with fruit

Needle-and-thread grass
Hesperostipa comata
Credit: Steve Matson


Cacti

Palm heavy with fruit


Silver cholla
Cylindropuntia echinocarpa
Credit: RJ Cox

Palm heavy with fruit

Kingcup cactus
Echinocereus triglochidiatus
Credit: Cecelia Alexander

Palm heavy with fruit

Engelmann’s pricklypear
Opuntia engelmannii
Credit: Mike Andersen


Non-Native species

Palm heavy with fruit


Tamarisk
Tamarix ramosissima
Credit: Alan Levine

Palm heavy with fruit

Russian olive
Elaeagnus angustifolia
Credit: Robin Ottawa

Palm heavy with fruit

Russian thistle/tumbleweed
Salsola tragus
Credit: Matt Lavin

Palm heavy with fruit


Silverleaf nightshade
Solanum elaeagnifolium
Credit: Michael Coghlan

Palm heavy with fruit

Cheatgrass
Bromus tectorum
Credit: Jennifer Strickland

Palm heavy with fruit

Scotch thistle
Cirsium vulgare
Credit: Craig Hunter