Producers in the Sonoran Desert Are Plants, Not Animals

Producers are organisms that make their own food (photosynthesis). Animals are consumers. In the Sonoran Desert, key producers include:

• Saguaro cactus – iconic columnar cactus, food for many animals.
• Prickly pear cactus – fruit eaten by humans/wildlife; host for cochineal insect.
• Desert willow – small tree, nectar source for bees.
• Creosote bush – dominant shrub, resinous leaves, provides food/shelter.

These plants form the base of the desert food web.