Natural History Wanderings

Anza-Borrego Natural History Association posted the following wildflower update for Fish Creek Wash dated 10/25/12

We have had more reports coming in that the Fish Creek – Split Mountain area of Anza-Borrego is just fascinating to explore after the monsoonal flash flood of late July.  The road is rougher and a slower-going than before but there are many interesting things to see and it is a great trip right now.

With this latest report we have the following plants found in bloom:  Spanish Needles ((Palafoxia arida), Greene’s Ground-Cherry (Physalis crassifolia), a single Sand Verbena (Abronia villosa),  Sandpaper Plant (Petalonyx thurberi ssp. thurberi), Desert Bird-of-Paradise (Fabaceae Caesalpina virgata), and Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis) , a few in flower but most displaying fruit, foot-long hanging seedpods.

There are also thousands of small Smoke Trees, (Psorothamnus spinosus) which have germinated as a result of the water and the scouring action of the flood.