Submitted by
Julia Lynam, Interpretive Ranger
Cottonwood Ranger Station, Joshua Tree National Park
Many flowers are blooming throughout the Park. Pinto Basin Road from north to south takes the motorist through Wilson Canyon with yellow coreopsis, desert dandelion, purple lupines and the magnificent white trumpets of the sacred datura, to the Cactus Garden where the green and red cholla flowers are bursting open, and the Ocotillo patch which is celebrating the Park’s 75th birthday with a display of huge red candle-like flowers.
Good trails this week:
- 49 Palms Oasis
- Mastodon Peak
- Barker Dam Nature Trail
- Hidden Valley Nature Trail
- Pinkham Canyon Road, in the Cottonwood area, accessible only by high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicles, (or on foot) is at its best, flanked in places by fields of pincushion and other flowers.
- Drive (or walk) through fields of yellow poppies on the unpaved Black Eagle Mine Road for 1.1 miles to a large pull-out on the right – the road is passable by regular car to this point. Look among the rocks for many other flowers.
For abundance and locations of Wildflowers click on Read More
Abundance: Sightings of any particular species may refer to many blooms, or to just a few blooms. On a scale of one to ten, the number that appears after the location key refers to an estimate of relative abundance of flowers at that location, with “1” indicating a few scattered blooms and “10” indicating that the place is carpeted with the species!
There may be several common names for a species – or none! Please refer to the scientific name if you don’t recognize the common name.
Key to Locations. See park map to find them.
| Elevation | Elevation | ||||||||||||
| 49 | 49 Palms Oasis | 2700’ | LHV | Lost Horse Valley | 4500’ | ||||||||
| BD | Barker Dam | 4280’ | NE | North Entrance | 2810’ | ||||||||
| BJ | Bajada | 2000’ | OVC | Oasis Visitor Center | 1960’ | ||||||||
| BR | Black Rock | 4000’ | PB | Pinto Basin | 1800’ | ||||||||
| CC | Cholla Cactus Garden | 2160’ | QV | Queen Valley | 4300’ | ||||||||
| CW | Cottonwood | 3100’ | SB | South Boundary | 1500’ | ||||||||
| HV | Hidden Valley | 4200’ | SR | Skull Rock | 4320’ | ||||||||
| IC | Indian Cove | 2730’ | STR | Stirrup Tank Road | 3500’ | ||||||||
| JR | Jumbo Rocks | 4380’ | W | West entrance area | 3520’ | ||||||||
| LSB | Little San Bernardino Mtns | various | WC | Wilson Canyon | 3000’ | ||||||||
|
Yellow Flowers |
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| Common Name | Scientific Name | Location/Abundance | |||||||||||
| Acton’s brittlebush | Encelia actonii | STR/4 | |||||||||||
| Adonis blazing star | Mentzelia multiflora var longiloba | QV | |||||||||||
| Barrel cactus | Ferocactus cylindraceus | BJ/1, SB/1, CW/2, QV, 49/2, QV, STR/1 | |||||||||||
| Bird’s nest buckwheat | Eriogonum nidularium | QV | |||||||||||
| Blackbrush | Coleogyne ramosissmia | QV, CW/1 | |||||||||||
| Bladderpod | Isomeris arborea | CW/3, PB/3, 49/2, QV | |||||||||||
| Blazing star | Mentzelia nitens | CW/1, 49/1, STR/3 | |||||||||||
| Brittlebush | Encelia farinosa | BJ/5, WC/3, PB/3, SB/6, LSB/6, CW/5, 49/3, QV | |||||||||||
| Buckwheat species | Eriogonum spp | LSB/5, SB/4, BJ/8, | |||||||||||
| California coreopsis | Coreopsis californica | WC/5, W/4, QV, STR/9 | |||||||||||
| California evening primrose | Camissonia californica | SB/1, QV, STR/1 | |||||||||||
| California juniper | Juniperus californica | QV, CW/1 | |||||||||||
| Checker fiddleneck | Amsinckia tessellata | BJ/1, W/6, WC/3, CW/1, NE/4 QV/8, HV/2, BD/4,SB/2, STR/7 | |||||||||||
| Chinchweed | Pectis papposa var papposa | PB/4 | |||||||||||
| Coastal lotus, coastal bird’s foot trefoil | Lotus salsuginotus var brevivexillus | SB/3 | |||||||||||
| Cooper’s jewelflower | Caulanthus cooperi | QV, STR/1 | |||||||||||
| Coyote melon | Cucurbita palmata | PB/1 | |||||||||||
| Creosote bush | Larrea tridentata | CC/5, CW/4, PB/10, WC/2, LSB/6, SB/6,QV, BJ/5, STR/3 | |||||||||||
| Desert bedstraw | Galium stellatum var eremicum | SB/1,QV | |||||||||||
| Desert dandelion | Malacothrix glabrata | PB/8, BJ/2, W/2, WC/5, LSB/2, SB/3, QV, STR/1, N/9 | |||||||||||
| Desert lotus, Desert bird’s-foot trefoil | Lotus strigosus | PB/3, BJ/3, CW/2, LSB/1,SB/3, W/1, STR/3, QV | |||||||||||
| Desert miseltoe | Phoradendron californicum | STR/2 | |||||||||||
| Desert rockpea | Lotus rigidus | 49/3, CW/1, IC, SR/2, HV/4, BD/4, SB/4, LSB/2, W/5, QV, STR/3 | |||||||||||
| Desert senna | Senna armata | CC/1, SB/2, PB/2, QV, CW/1 | |||||||||||
| Desert trumpet | Eriogonum inflatum var inflatum | CW/3, PB/4, WC/1, SB/3, LSB/5,QV | |||||||||||
| Dwarf cottonrose | Filago depressa | SB/5 | |||||||||||
| Dyssodia, San Felipe dogwood | Adenophyllum porophylloides | SB/5, LSB/5, QV, CW/1 | |||||||||||
| False woolly daisy | Syntricopappus fremontii | QV | |||||||||||
| Golden desert-trumpets | Linanthus aureus | CW/1, STR/1, SB/2 | |||||||||||
| Golden suncup | Camissonia brevipes | CW/2, SB/2,QV, STR/2 | |||||||||||
| Golden bush (linear leaved) | Ericameria linearifolia | QV | |||||||||||
| Granny’s hairnet | Pterostegia drymariodes | LSB/1, STR/1 | |||||||||||
| Green brittlebush | Encelia frutescens | PB/1 | |||||||||||
| Heart-leaved evening primrose | Camissonia cardiophylla ssp cardiophylla | SB/3 | |||||||||||
| Jones’s blazing star | Mentzelia jonesii | LSB/1, W/2 | |||||||||||
| Live-forever | Dudleya saxosa | QV, N/1, CW/2,STR/1, | STR/2 | ||||||||||
| London rocket | Sisymbrium irio | LSB/4, SB/1, CW/1 | |||||||||||
| Mojave ragweed | Senecio mohavensis | PB/3, | |||||||||||
| Mormon tea | Ephedra spp | QV, CW/2, STR/3 | |||||||||||
| Pale evening primrose | Camissonia pallida | SB/2, CW1,QV, STR/3 | |||||||||||
| Palmer bead-pod, bladderpod | Lesquerella tenella | CW/1 | |||||||||||
| Pancake-pear cactus, Dollar-joint cactus | Opuntia chlorotica | QV | |||||||||||
| Parish’s golden poppy | Eschscholzia parishii | BJ/3, PB/3, CW/2, LSB/3,SB/4, W/5, WC/2, 49/1,QV, STR/3 | |||||||||||
| Parish’s viguiera/goldeneye | Viguiera parishii | CW/7, LSB/4, W/1, 49/1, QV, STR/3 | |||||||||||
| Prince’s plume | Stanleya pinnata | CW/3, SB/1 | |||||||||||
| Pygmy cedar | Peucephyllum schottii | PB/1, LSB/3, SB/3 | |||||||||||
| Pygmy poppy | Eschscholzia minutiflora | W/1, STR/1 | |||||||||||
| Ranch weed | Amsinckia menziesii | QV | |||||||||||
| Rush milkweed, Ajamete | Asclepius subulata | PB/1 | |||||||||||
| Sahara mustard* | Brassica tournefortii | CW/1, PB/3, STR/1 | |||||||||||
| Sand blazing star | Mentzelia involucrata | CW/2, QV,STR/1, PB/1 | |||||||||||
| Scalebud | Anisocoma acaulis | LHV/1, SR/2, QV/5, STR/2 | |||||||||||
| Silver puffs | Uropappus lindeyi | QV, STR/2 | |||||||||||
| Skunkbush sumac | Rhus trilobata | QV | |||||||||||
| Stebben’s desert dandelion | Malacothrix stebbensii | STR/1 | |||||||||||
| Sweetbush | Bebbia juncea var aspera | PB/4, LSB/1, SB/1, QV, CW/1 | |||||||||||
| Trixis | Trixis californica var californica | PB/2, CW/1, LSB/4, SB/2, STR/1, PB/1 | |||||||||||
| Tumble mustard | Sisymbrium altissimum | QV | |||||||||||
| Twining snapdragon | Antirrhinum filipes | CW/1, LSB/1, W/1,QV, STR/2, PB/1 | |||||||||||
| Wallace’s woolly daisy | Eriophyllum wallacei | CW/1, BJ/1, W/4, N/3, PB/3, SR/2, WC/4, BR/2, QV, STR/5, SB/1 | |||||||||||
| Wand holdback | Caesalpinia virgata | SB/3, LSB/1 | |||||||||||
| Whispering bells | Emmenanthe penduliflora | BJ/2, CW/2, W/3, STR/2 | |||||||||||
| Yellow or thick-leaved ground cherry | Physalis crassifolia | CW/2, PB/2, BJ/1, LSB/1,SB/1,QV, STR/1 | |||||||||||
| White-stem blazing star | Mentzelia albicaulis | QV, STR/2 | |||||||||||
| White-stem milkweed | Asclepius albicans | BJ/1 | |||||||||||
| Yellowhead, Yellowdome | Trichoptilium incisum | PB/1, CW/1, LSB/1, WC/2, SB/4 | |||||||||||
| Yellow tansy mustard | Descurainia pinnata | CW/3, W/2, QV, STR/2 | STR/2 | ||||||||||
| Yellow turbans | Eriogonum pusillum | QV, STR/2 | |||||||||||
| Red or Orange Flowers | ||
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Location/Abundance |
| Arrowleaf (red & yellow) | Pleurocoronis pluriseta | PB/3, LSB/6, SB/5, CW/1, QV |
| Burroweed, White bursage | Ambrosia dumosa | PB/4, SB/5, LSB/5, CW/2, 49/1, STR/8 |
| Chuparosa | Justicia californica | BJ/2, CW/2, QV |
| Desert mallow/ Globe mallow | Sphaeralcea ambigua | CW/4, N/4, WC/4, BJ/1,LSB/3, SB/3, W/2, 49/3, QV, STR/4 |
| Desert paintbrush | Castilleja angustifolia | W/2,QV/4, STR/1 |
| Hall’s purple bush | Tertracoccus hallii | SB/4, CW/4 |
| Mojave mound cactus | Echinocereus triglochidiatus | HV/4, QV/3,Cap Rock/2, BD/2 |
| Ocotillo | Fouquieria splendens | BJ/2, PB/7, CW/3, LSB/2, SB/2 |
| Pygmy weed | Crassula connata | STR/2 |
| Scarlet milkvetch | Astragalus coccineus | QV/1 |
| White Flowers | |||
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Location/Abundance | |
| Anderson’s desert thorn | Lycium andersonii | W/1,QV | |
| Brown-eyed primrose | Camissonia claviformis | BJ/1, PB/4, WC/4, LSB/2, SB/5, W/2, 49/1,QV, CW/1 | |
| California mustard | Guillenia lasiophylla | STR/2 | |
| Cheesebush | Hymenoclea salsola | PB/3, BJ/4, CW/5, SB/6, LSB/6, WC/4, QV, STR/8 | |
| Climbing milkweed, trailing townula | Sarcostemma hitellum | LSB/3, SB/3, CC/4, QV, STR/1 | |
| Comb burr | Pectocarya spp | WC/2, LSB/3, SB/2, BR/6, W/5, QV, STR/4 | |
| Desert almond | Prunus fasiculatum | QV | |
| Desert alyssum | Lepidium fremontii | BJ/1, IC/1, WC/1, CC/1, CW/4, PB/2, W/2, QV, STR/2 | |
| Desert chicory | Rafinesquia neomexicana | PB/1, BJ/1, WC/1, CW/1, SB/3, 49/1, QV, STR/1 | |
| Desert pincushion | Chaenactis carphoclinia var carphoclinia | PB/7, BJ/2, WC/1, CW/1, SB/7, W/3, 49/1 | |
| Desert rock daisy | Perityle emoryi | BJ/1, LSB/4, WC/4, SB/3, QV | |
| Desert snow | Linanthus jonesii | SB/1 | |
| Desert star | Monoptilon belloides | PB/2, BJ/1, CW/1, QV, STR/4 | |
| Desert star vine, desert jewel star | Brandegea bigelovii | BJ/3, CC/2, WC/4, PB/4, CW/1, LSB/3, SB/3, QV, STR/4 | |
| Desert tobacco | Nicotiana obtusifolia | PB/2, CW/1, IC/3, BJ/1, WC/1,LSB/3, SB/4, QV, STR/2 | |
| Ditaxis | Ditaxis lanceolata | PB/2, CW/1, SB/3 | |
| Dune evening primrose | Oenothera deltoides | Geology Tour Rd/2 | |
| Evening snow | Linanthus dichotomus | SB/1, STR/1 | |
| Fiesta flower | Pholistoma membranaceum | CW/2, PB/1, SB/2, LSB/2, W/1, QV | |
| Fremont’s pincushion | Chaenactis fremontii | LSB/3, SB/2, QV, STR/4 | |
| Fringe pod | Thysanocarpus curvipes | QV, STR/2 | |
| Ghost flower | Mohavea confertifolia | LSB/3 | |
| Joshua tree | Yucca brevifolia | BR/1, Park Boulevard/1, BD/1 | |
| Lace pod | Thysanocarpus laciniatus | PB/1, W/1 | |
| Long beaked twist flower | Streptanthella longirostris | W/1 | |
| Milk vetch | Astragalus nutallianus | STR/1 | |
| Mojave yucca | Yucca schidigera | QV | |
| Narrowleaf suncup | Camissonia refracta | PB/2, BJ/1, WC/1, SB/2 LSB/2 | |
| Onyx flower/Frostmat/Sandmat | Achyronycia cooperi | PB/3, WC/1 | |
| Panamint cat’s eye | Cryptantha angustifolia | PB/4, BJ/2, W/2 | |
| Parry nolina, beargrass | Nolina parryii | HV/2, LHV/2, QV/5, W/3, BD/2, Key’s View | |
| Parry’s tackstem | Calycoseris parryi | QV | |
| Pearl-o-rock | Phacelia perityloides | QV | |
| Popcorn flower | Plagiobothrys spp | IC/5, BD/5, QV/5, W/4 | |
| Pungent brickell bush | Brickellia arguta | QV | |
| Rattlesnake weed | Chamaesyce albomarginata | QV/2, STR/2, SB/2 | |
| Sacred datura, jimson weed | Datura wrightii | QV, PB/3, BJ/2, WC/3 | |
| Sand cress, Pussy-paws, | Calyptridium monardum | BJ/1, BR/1, PB/1 | |
| Silky dalea | Dalea molis | CW/2, SB/6, | |
| Smallseed sandmat | Chamaesyce polycarpa | PB/3, LSB/6, SB/7, CW/5, STR/2 | |
| Sonoran sandmat | Chamaesyce micromera | LSB/1 | |
| Spectacle-pod | Dithyria californica | PB/1, WC/1 | |
| Steve’s/desert pincushion | Chaenactis stevioides | QV, STR/7 | |
| Thurber’s spineflower | Centostegia thurberi | STR/2 | |
| Tidy Tips | Layia glandulosa | W/3, WC/1, QV, STR/1 | |
| Wire lettuce | Stephanomeria exigua | PB/2 | |
| Wishbone bush | Mirabilis laevis var californica | QV, W/1, 49/1, STR/3 | |
| Woody bottle washer | Camissonia boothii | WC, BJ/1, SB/1 | |
| Yuma sandmat | Chamaesyce setiloba | SB/3, LSB/3 | |
| Pink to Purple Flowers | |||
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Location/s | |
| Arizona lupine | Lupinus arizonicus | BJ/1, PB/1, N/3, W/2, LSB/1, SB/1,WC/1, 49/3 | |
| Bajada lupine | Lupinus sparsiflorus | QV, STR/1, WC/2, W/3 | |
| Beavertail Cactus | Opuntia basilaris var basilaris | BJ/1, CC/1, LSB/3, SB/1, WC/2, QV, CW/1 | |
| Bigelow’s monkey flower | Mimulus bigelovii | BJ/1, CW/2, LSB/3, SB/3, 49/1,QV, PB/2 | |
| Brome grass | Bromus madritensis ssp rubens | SB/5, STR/9 | |
| Calico or hedgehog cactus | Echinocereus englemanii | CC/1, BJ/1, SB/1, CW/1, W/1, STR/1, | |
| Chia | Salvia columbariae | PB/3, N/3, SR/2, LSB/6, W/1, WC/4, 49/1,QV, STR/6 | |
| Desert buckwheat | Eriogonum fasciculatum | QV | |
| Desert calico | Loeseliastrum matthewsii | BJ/1, SB/2, PB/4 | |
| Desert five spot | Eremalche rotundifolia | PB/1, SB/3 | |
| Desert heron’s bill | Erodium texanum | BD/1 | |
| Desert lavender | Hyptis emoryi | BJ/3, PB/3, LSB/8,SB/6, WC/1, CC/2, 49/1,QV, STR/3 | |
| Desert/hairy sand verbena | Abronia villosa var villosa | PB/2, W/1 | |
| Desert parsley | Lomatium mohavense | QV/5, HV/2, W/3, STR/2 | |
| Desert thistle | Cirsium neomexicanicum | QV | |
| Dune peabush | Psorothamnus emoryi | PB/2 | |
| Filaree, red-stemmed storksbill | Erodium cicutarium | BJ/2, CW/2, PB/2, W/5, BD/5, QV | |
| Freckled milk vetch | Astragalus lentiginosus var fremontii | W/2 | |
| Heliotrope Phacelia/Wild heliotrope/ Laceleaf phacelia | Phacelia distans | WC/3, CW/4, BJ/3, LSB/5, W/4, SB/4, QV, STR/5 | |
| Hairy prairie-clover | Dalea mollis | PB/2 | |
| Hidden-flower scorpion weed | Phacelia cryptantha | QV | |
| Indigo bush | Psorothamnus schottii | QV | |
| Littleseed muhly (grass) | Muhlenbergia microsperma | LSB/1, STR/2 | |
| Milk vetch | Astragalus spp | W/3 | |
| Mojave aster | Xylorhiza tortifolia | BJ/1, CW/4, SB/2, 49/2, QV, STR/2 | |
| Mojave thistle | Cirsium mohavense | QV | |
| Notch-leaf scorpion weed or phacelia | Phacelia crenulata | PB/2, WC/3,LSB/4, W/1 | |
| Odora | Porophyllum gracile | CW/2, STR/1 | |
| Paper bag bush | Salazaria mexicana | N/1, CW/4,QV | |
| Parry dalea | Marina parryi | WC/1 | |
| Peppergrass | Lepidium lasiocarpum var lasiocarpum | STR/1 | |
| Perennial rock cress | Arabis perennans | BD/1, W/2 | |
| Purple mat | Nama demissum | LSB/1, SR/2, SB/2, W/1, QV, STR/2, PB/3 | |
| Purple pop-ups | Pholisma arenarium | STR/1 | |
| Purple three-awn (grass) | Aristida purpurea | STR/2 | |
| Rattlepod | Astragalus lentigulosus | QV/2 | |
| Rock cress | Arabis pulchra | QV, STR/2 | |
| Rock gilia | Gilia scopulorum | CW/1, BJ/2, WC/2 | |
| Rock hibiscus, paleface | Hibiscus denudatus | PB/1, WC/1, LSB/3, SB/3 | |
| Rosy gilia | Gilia sinuata | STR/1 | |
| Smallseed fagonia | Fagonia laevis | PB/3, BJ/1, CW/2, SB/3,LSB/4 | |
| Spanish needles | Palafoxia arida var arida | PB/1, CC/2 | |
| Spotted hideseed, common eucrypta | Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia var bipinnatifida | LSB/1, QV, STR/1 | |
| Star gilia | Gilia stellata | SB/3, LSB/2, CW/2, W/4, STR/2 | |
| Sticky fagonia | Fagonia pachyacantha | SB/5 | |
| Tiquilia canescans | Tiquilia canescans | STR/1 | |
| Turpentine Broom | Thamnosoma montana | NE,QV | |
| White rhatany | Krameria erecta | CW/1, SB/2 | |
| Windmills | Allionia incarnata | LSB/1,QV | |
| Yellow throats | Phacelia freemonti | W/1 | |
|
Blue Flowers |
|||
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Location/Abundance | |
| Amsonia | Amsonia tomentosa | STR/7, CW/2, SB/2 | |
| Canterbury bell, desert bell | Phacelia campanularia | CW/4, LSB,/3, N/1, WC/1, W/2, 49/1, QV | |
| Coulter’s lupine | Lupinus sparsiflorus | CW/3, W/3, WC/2, QV, STR/1 | |
| Green and Brown Flowers | |||
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Location/Abundance | |
| Beetle spurge | Euphorbia eriantha | SB/1, CW/1 | |
| Big Galleta grass | Pleuraphis rigida | SB/1,QV, STR/4, PB/3 | |
| Brittle spineflower | Chorizanthe brevicornu var brevicornu | LSB/3, SB/5, CW/2, PB/6 | |
| Brome fescue (grass) | Vulpia bromoides | SB/2, STR/2 | |
| California croton | Croton californicus | PB/2 | |
| Cheat grass | Bromus tectorum | QV | |
| Common cudweed | Filago californica | STR/2 | |
| Devil’s spineflower, spiny herb | Chorizanthe rigida | SB/1, PB/1 | |
| Hopsage | Grayia spinosa | QV, W/2 | |
| Indian rice grass | Achnatherum hymenoides | QV | |
| Jojoba | Simmondsia chinensis | LSB/1, SB/4, CW/2, QV | |
| Mediterranean grass | Schismus barbatus | STR/7 | |
| Oniongrass | Melica frutescens | STR/1 | |
| Pinon pine | Pinus monophylla | QV | |
| Plantain | Plantago ovata | PB/4, SB/5, WC/4, STR/3 | |
| Queen’s root | Stillingia linearifolia | CW/1, LSB/1, QV, STR/1 | |
| Silver cholla | Opuntia echinocarpa | QV | |
| Six-weeks three awn (grass) | Aristida adcensionis | SB/3 | |
| Squirrel tail grass | Elymus elumoides | STR/1 | |
| Tucker’s oak | Quercus john-tuckeri | QV | |
- invasive species of concern
Joshua Tree National Park Phone 760 367 5500 www.nps.gov/jotr
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