Prickly desert plants (5)
I believe the answer is:
cacti
'prickly desert plants' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is the entire clue.
(Other definitions for cacti that I've seen before include "they shoot in the desert" , "growing group" , "Plants native to arid regions" , "Spiky plants found in deserts" , "flowers" .)