Does the air feel less humid as you climb the hill? What changes do you see in the plants as you get further from the Rio Grande? Characteristics of a desert climate include heat, dryness, and wind. Look closely at the surrounding plants and you will see that each has developed adaptations for living in arid conditions. Some, like the herbaceous plants, are desert "escapers;" if there is not enough moisture they simply will not grow or bloom. Desert "evaders," like the ocotillo, live double lives. After rains when water is plentiful ocotillo sprout leaves; as the soil dries the plants reabsorb the moisture from the leaves, causing the leaves to drop.