Natural History Wanderings

Anza -Borrego Desert State Park has just posted a new wildflower report on the official state park site:

WILDFLOWERS
Where are they???

The quality and extent of flower displays are governed by a variety of environmental factors that are not only beyond our control but hard to predict.  This is the second year of lower-than-average rainfall, and it is unlikely that we will see an eye-popping display of annuals, though some sand verbena and desert dandelions are starting to appear along valley roadsides.

Right now a number of annuals, including phacelia, brown-eyed evening primrose, desert chicory, and two kinds of poppies, are blooming along the Elephant Tree Trail, off of Split Mountain Road. Be advised that the one-mile road to the Trail is rough and rocky, and not suitable for cars with low clearance. Recent reports indicate that some of these annuals are starting to dry up, though a few five-spot plants can be found blooming along the trail.

Sand verbena, desert dandelion, and a few desert lilies are making an appearance at the north end of DiGiorgio Road, right where the pavement ends.

Hikers with sharp eyes may be able to find monkeyflowers, phacelia, and canterbury bells in Borrego Palm Canyon, Henderson Canyon, and other western canyons, along with shrubs like chuparosa.

The beginnings of the Cactus Loop Trail and the Yaqui Well Trail, across from Tamarisk Grove Campground, offer a variety of diminutive annuals in bloom, including poppies, whispering bells, and phacelia. Drivers of high-clearance vehicles can navigate the Yaqui Well road and find a large field of desert dandelions about 2.5 miles after leaqving the pavement of highway S-3.

Mine Wash Road also has flowers in bloom. Two-wheel-drive vehicles can make it as far as the Indian Village site