Desert Wildflowers Anza-Borrego Desert

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Wildflower Field Guide
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Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Introduction Package - New book on Borrego Springs art by RICARDO BRECEDA The Accidental Artist by: Diana Lindsay is now in DesertUSA's store

We'd like to see your pictures too. E-mail your digital photos and reports to Jim@desertusa.com. Use Wildflower Report as the subject of your e-mail. Let us know where you took the photo and the date.

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Feb 2, 2012 Lynn reports: I visited Coyote Canyon. The canyon was very dry and brown. The ocotillos were brown without leaves. One or two had a couple red blooms on them, but for the most part they were barren. The shrubs were all dry and many of the cholla cactus were turning brown too. I saw one creosote bush with yellow flowers, but all of the others were still brown without color. The only green I saw was along the creek that runs through Coyote Canyon. The staff in the Visitor's Center said that there wasn't anything blooming yet in terms of spring wildflowers. They mentioned that the lack of rain this season was the reason.

A drive down Henderson Canyon Rd. was more of the same. Brown landscape without any signs of green or color. Liked the Sky Art in the fields, lots of fun exploring the art by Ricardo Breceda.

Feb 1, 2012 Frank reports: I was out at Anza Borrego DSP January 26-8. It is very dry. The predicted January rains did not materialize and, unless we get some substantial precipitation within the next 2-3 weeks, there won't be much of a wildflower season this year.

Even under these dire conditions, there were bright spots. The desert agave were blooming north of Rte 78 about a half mile east of the entrance to Plum Canyon and there was one ocotillo at the entrance to the Yaqui Well campground that managed to produce a single bloom. Chuparosa has started to bloom in Plum Canyon, but it doesn't look very robust. I attach photos of these, all taken January 27.

Jan 30, 2012 ABDNHA reports: Blair Valley - Good germination by the parking area next to S2, but it is essentially all non-native Filaree or Storksbill, accompanied by a smaller number of native Pectocarya and Popcorn Flower. The Filaree and Pectocarya were beginning to bloom. For full report

Jan 23, 2012 DUSA reports: Rain the forecast for today.

Jan 12, 2012 DUSA reports: Not much yet, did get some rain last month, and more rain may be coming. Be sure and check our new article about the art in Borrego Valley, here is the link.

Nov 12, 2011 Frank reports: More rain in Anza Borrego Park today.

Nov 5, 2011 Frank reports: Canebrake near Anza Borrego Park. A little more rain around 9pm brought my measured total for the storm to .08". Season total now is 0.58". Bob confirmed that the closer you were to the mountains, the more rain you got yesterday.

Oct 5, 2011 Jim B reports: Rain in the forecast for this week.

May 8, 2011 RS reports: On Tuesday 5/3 in higher elevations of Culp Vally we were surprised with huge fields of white tidy tips and bright goldfields. Not that plentiful but as hikers we came across variety of many blooming species. Along our trails there were broadleaf filaree, common mullia, desert mellow, yellow bush beardtongue, sugarbush, honey mesquite, red ringstem or scarlet spiderling, yucca, panamint dudleya, Indian paintbrush, yellow pincushion, miner's lettuce, narrowleaf cottonrose, baby blue eyes, ground pink, gold yarrow, dwarf fluffweed, rattlesnake weed, split-lip toadflax, desert dandelion, coyote melon (male and female), white tidytips, western wallflowers, beavertail cactus, white sage, California buckwheat, brittlbush, larkspur, cream cups, desert figwort, southern tauschia, hairy lotus, prince's rock cress, lupine, purple nightshade, southern Chinese houses. Plus several species we are still not able to identify.

All above listed wildflowers we saw while hiking and not from the roads or just driving by. Also near the visitor center and on the way to Hellhole Canyon we came across male and females blooms of coyote melon. There were also fields of light blue desert woolstars. In several washes we enjoyed desert willows covered with beautiful flowers.

If you're willing to hike and carry lots of water you can still see plethora of blooming but some different wildflowers than in March while majority of visitors enjoy Anza Borrego Desert.

We have an online wildflower field guide that is designed to help you identify desert wildflowers by color, scientific name, region and common name. The pictures are sized to work on the iPod, iPhone. iPad and similar devices. With your iPod or phone you will easily be able to identify wildflowers while in the desert. Links for downloads are on the bottom of the Wildflower Field Guide page.

Photos tips: Most digital point-and-shoot cameras have a macro function - usually symbolized by the icon of a little flower. When you turn on that function, you allow your camera to get closer to the subject, looking into a flower for example. Or getting up close and personal with a bug. More on desert photography and wildflowers photos.

 

For other state reports click on link below

Wildflower Field Guide

Mojave Desert Wildflowers book 200 color photos

Other DesertUSA Resources
Desert Plants
Wildflower Information & Hotlines
When Will The Wildflowers Bloom?
Wildflower Intro. Packages
Books on Cacti, Wildflowers, & Other Flora