An elderly woman lost in the Arizona outback for nine days survived by eating desert plants and drinking pond water, and was only rescued when her makeshift "help" sign was spotted.

The sign helped lead rescuers to Ann Rodgers, 72, in the White Mountains of eastern Arizona earlier this month.

Speaking for the first time since her ordeal, Rodgers told a Tucson TV station the food and water in her car ran out after several days - forcing her into survival mode.

"I was eating desert plants," she said.  "My dog was too, diving into clovers and finding all the places that were the easiest to go."

Rodgers went missing on March 31, when she was en route to visit her grandchildren in Phoenix.

The state Department of Public Safety said she got lost, and her hybrid vehicle ran out of gas and electric power.

The car was found three days after the start of the search, but rescue crews still struggled to find her until April 9, when her dog was spotted. a flight crew later spotted a crude 'help' signal made of sticks on the ground. 

Rodgers had actually left the area of her sign, but she was later found nearby on the Fort Apache Reservation, where she had started a signal fire.

When the helicopter landed to rescue her, she sat down and cried.

She was suffering from exposure, but was in decent shape, and was later released from hospital.