The smoke tree is common in the sandy desert washes at lower elevations. The smoke-colored (gray-green) bark plays a major role in photosynthesis because the leaves are absent most of the year. Masses of small, purple, pea-like flowers cover this plant in the early summer. Spininess and intricate branching are also characteristic of the smoke tree. When viewed from a distance, the tree appears to be a puff of smoke against the landscape.