Introduction

A nurse plant is typically a mature plant that protects a young one beneath it. Such protection may aid germination of seeds that land near the nurse or augment the survival or growth of seedlings once they are established.

The Details

Dr. Martin Cody studied young chollas and nurse plants. The youngest chollas are strongly associated with particular nurse plant species (especially the perennial grass Hilaria rigida). Over time, as the chollas grew, they replaced the nurse plants. But sometimes, the nurse species were in turn nurtured by chollas. The nurse plants may provide protection from wind, herbivores, sun, and may even provide access to moisture.

Additional Reading: Nurse Plants for Chollas