Contrary to the popular images of vast expanses of barren sand and rock, most Southwest desert regions are richly endowed with a fascinating array of plant life elegantly adapted to thrive in this arid environment. Desert plants have three basic strategies for survival: the endurers store moisture in succulent plant structures with thick skins; the evaders go dormant during extreme heat and drought, such as by dropping their leaves; and the escapers are the annuals that simply die during severe periods, leaving their seeds to give rebirth to their kind when favorable growing conditions return.