Natural History Wanderings

Joshua Tree National Park has posted a new wildflower report of for 2/21/14. They report:

The wildflower bloom in  Joshua Tree National Park is still developing slowly, but steadily. Watch for the white flowers of the Mojave yucca (Yucca schidigera) blooming in the Indian Cove area. On Split Rock loop trail the purple flower of scorpion weed (Phacelia crunulata) are blooming near Face Rock and in the surrounding washes. When traveling through the Pinto Basin area, look closely for the white blooms of the sacred datura (Datura wrightii) and red blooms of the ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens).

Things are developing at a faster pace in Cottonwood Canyon, with 40 species reported. The yellow bladderpod (Peritoma arbor) bushes and the yellow creosote (Larrea tridentata) bushes along the Pinto Basin Rd., as well as the red flower of the chuparosa (Justicia californica) bushes, south of Cottonwood Visitor Center, are visible from the road.

See the full detailed report, which includes what plants are bloom, locations and abundance at: Wildflower Viewing – Joshua Tree National Park (U.S. National Park Service).