Natural History Wanderings

DesertUSA posted a wildflower report from  Paul Wolterbeek at Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park. He reports:

“…made a quick scouting trip a few miles north & verified the faint yellow coloring entire hillsides of Peachville Mountain north of Superior, AZ is indeed Mexican Goldpoppies. Tons of ’em! Good news for photographers – the color is just starting, and should peak in a week or two, check this page again next week for updates. And please be advised that while the Silver King Mine road which accesses this area is navigable – you’ll definitely want to have a reliable spare tire and a working jack: photographer friends of mine we passed on the drive in were pulled over & fixing a flat tire. Silver King Mine road is graded dirt. No 4WD required, but you sure do want a vehicle with some clearance… a Jeep, SUV or light truck, minimum. But even Highway 60 commuters passing by at 60 MPH will enjoy the flower show over the next two weeks simply by looking north as you drive between Boyce Thompson Arboretum and Superior – massive swaths (hundreds of acres) of goldpoppies are already coloring the hillsides as you look north, easily visible for miles to the east and west of Peachville Mountain.
Watch for peak color in 7-14 days. And on your drive up the Silver King Mine road watch for Desert Lupine (L. sparsiflorus), Red Maids, Chia, Blue Dicks, Wild Heliotrope, Yellow Spine Aster and Desert Chichory.”