Wasson Peak is the tallest peak in the Tucson Mountains. I climbed it for the first time when I turned 50. The yellow flowers are brittlebush, and the tall cacti are saguaros. To the left of the picture is a palo verde tree. The name means "green trunk" in Spanish. The trunk contains chlorophyll and the plant can do photosynthesis when there are no leaves. The plant is drought deciduous and loses its leaves in winter. Spring brings first yellow flowers and then leaves. The beans are edible when young, and taste slightly sweeter than garden peas, to which they are related. They are hard to peel. Once they are mature, they won't germinate unless they are scratched. This most often occurs in the gizzards of birds. The flowers are edible. © Pat Goltz Thank you for your comments. I greatly appreciate them!