One way desert plants, trees, and shrubs suck up as much water as possible is by growing very deep taproots. Sometimes these roots can get to be more than 100 feet long. The above-ground parts of a plant may remain small for years simply because the plant puts most of its energy into developing its taproot system.
What plants grow roots of 100 feet long?
Velvet mesquite, a thorny native to the Sonoran Desert, sends roots more than 100 feet or more into the earth in its reach for water. There are shrubs that can adapt to the sand on the desert.