Natural History Wanderings

Anza Borrego Desert Natural History Association just posted two new wildflower reports:

April 3, 2012 – Flowers have been few enough in Anza-Borrego this year. Its frustrating to be hurrying down a narrow road when suddenly a clump of Apricot Mallows appears and there is no place to pull off the road so a person can stop to admire it. This was not the case in Sentenac Canyon where crews have cleared the roadside of Arrowweed Pluchea sericea. We found no fewer than a dozen of these plants in fine condition.Elsewhere in Anza-Borrego, the Ocotillo color show continues. For any fan of this plant, this is not to be missed. The picture below was taken in Ocotillo Flat near the First Crossing of Coyote Creek. Reports on Rainbow Canyon and the far end of Blair Valley away from S-2 are good, if not excellent.Ocotillo,

April 2, 2012 – On a hike in Glorietta Canyon and Glorietta Wash, ABDNHA member Carol Meetze was “excited” to see three ghost flower plants in bloom. Also seen were desert woolly daisy, Bigelow monkeyflower, brittlebush, wishbone bush, brown eyed evening primrose, fillaree, phacelia, beavertail cactus, cholla, barrel cactus, whispering bells, desert lavender, creosote, desert agave, chuparosa, little gold poppy, desert poppy, desert dandelion, dudlyea and ocotillo and checker fiddleneck.

Read all of their reports at:  Anza-Borrego Wildflowers Winter 2011-12.