Natural History Wanderings

DesertUSA has new wildflower Bloom updates and reports for southern New Mexico, northern Arizona and western Texas

 Desert wildflowers Southern New Mexico and West Texas

“Wildflowers have started blooming in Southern New Mexico and Far West Texas. On February 25th, mexican gold poppies were carpeting a few east-facing slopes of the Peloncillo Mountains just north of Steins. There were also a few patches of poppies along Highway 9 west of Columbus.On March 5th, patches of poppies can be found around Rockhound State Park, east of Deming, NM. A few splotches are showing up on the west-facing slopes of the Little Florida Mountains near the park.Farther south, poppies are widespread along the east side of the Florida Mountains, well south of Spring Canyon State Park along Gap Road. Also, there’s reports of poppies blooming in Northeast El Paso, TX, along the east slopes of the Franklin Mountains north of Loop 375.”

Northern Arizona

“Peridot Mesa… They were spectacular . Although some smaller areas were past prime most of the areas were still great and there are still many buds yet to open. In addition to poppies, owl’s clover is just starting to come up, many small lupines are starting to appear, and there were occasional fiddlenecks, filaree, and desert chickory.

We also stopped at Bartlett Lake on the way home but nothing to speak of is going on there. Flowers are stunted and scattered and Bartlett Lake is very low. Too little rain”

To see all of DesertUSA’s reports and photos go to: http://www.desertusa.com/wildflo/wildupdates.html