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Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Wildflower Reports For 2008
2009 reports will start in Jan 2009
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Sept 27. 2008 DUSA reports: On the way to see the new Art in Borrego Springs I spotted these wildflower along the road.
August 8. 2008 DUSA reports: About a 1/2 inch of rain fell in the park on 8/7/08.
April 19, 2008 - Park reports: As expected,the first two weeks of March were breath taking. However, on the valley floor, the fields of wildflowers have wilted from the heat and the onslaught of sphinx moth caterpillars. While some cactus flowers are still opening and the ocotillo have bloomed, it is mostly past time to see flowers in the valley. There are still cacti to see up in the canyons and in the higher elevations of the park, but soon they too will be gone.
The Park's Wildflower update will soon be discontinued until the next flower season.
April 9, 2008 - Carole reports: We drove through Oriflamme Canyon, all the way up to the top and over to Banner Grade, where the trail ends, and what a trip it was. True, the lower canyon still has some Hedgehog Cactus and various other small wildflowers, but what you find at the higher elevations is altogether different! We saw new (to me) kinds of Yuccas, Indian Paintbrush, Owl's clover, yellow poppies, Lupine, Rattlesnake Weed, and a yellow shrub with beautiful flowers that covered the hills. I haven't found out the name for that one yet. (It is not Brittlebush.) Prickly Pear is all over one area, and covered with buds....Huge areas are covered with the cacti! Also, the Beavertail is covered with buds. So, if you have a 4x4 and want an adventure, that is the place to go. The flowers are so different the higher you go.
April 7, 2008 - The Park reports: The mouth of Coyote Canyon at the end of DiGiorgio Road is mostly finished. The sun and the caterpillars have consumed the blooms. However, a few more miles up the canyon yields a colorful array of bloomng ocotillo, cacti and shrubs. Four wheel drive is suggested above First Crossing.
It is too late to see a wildflower bloom in the valley. The higher areas of the park show some annuals, but is best for Mojave Yucca, which is showing the finest bloom in 30 years, and cacti. The southern end of the park is still colorful but high temperatures and the sphinx moth caterpillars are impacting the blooms there as well.
In Plum Canyon lavender, ocotillos, and little golden poppy are blooming. Blair Valley has goldfields, yucca, phacelia and dandelions. Grapevine Canyon has many yuccas in bloom. The lower part of Oriflamme Canyon is still beautiful, but 4 wheel drive is required. The ocotillo are in full bloom Try the area around The Slot. The southern end of the park has a great showing of blooming
cacti.
April 2, 2008 - Kris reports: These pictures were taken on the trail between Bow Willow and Palm Springs Canyon in the southern section of Anza Borrego Desert in the afternoon of Sunday March 30th. There was amazing displays of Indigo Bush, Brittlebush, Desert Calico, Desert Poppy, Beavertail cactus, two species of Cholla, Barrel Cactus, Ocotillo, Pincushion flower & Creosote bush. Although there was a some wind on the higher ridges, several bird songs could be heard in the protected areas out of the wind. The temperature was cool and the entire 2.6 mile wal was amazing. Most cactus and larger bushes will be in bloom for another several weeks.
April 2, 2008 - Haldis reports: The pictures were taken on Sunday, March 30 between 10:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. in Palm Canyon, Anza Borrego. That day, Palm Canyon was about the only place left with a very enjoyable array of flowers. The massive amount of the previous week were pretty much gone, we were told. The cactus were just coming out and were stunning.
Click here for more 2008 wildflower reports
2008 Wildflower Season - Videos 
