The Joshua tree, also known as the yucca palm, tree yucca, and palm tree yucca, is native to the southwestern United States (Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah) and northwestern Mexico. The scientific name is Yucca brevifolia. It is confined mostly in the Mojave Desert. Joshua trees also dominate the open spaces of Joshua Tree National Park, in southeastern California.
The name "Joshua tree" is commonly said to have been given by a group of Mormon settlers crossing the Mojave Desert in the mid-19th century. The tree's role in guiding them through the desert reminded them of the Bible in which Joshua keeps his hands reached out for hope.
