Natural History Wanderings

Borregohiking.com has a wildflower report for Culp Valley in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

Culp Valley looks real dry, but when you hike up the wash towards the Pinyon Ridge, you see more and more flowers.We expected some flowers blooming, but not that many.

See hike description and photos at links below:
http://borregohiking.com/hiking/2014_culp_valley-wilson_trail.html
https://picasaweb.google.com/eFMerTrail/CulpValleyWilsonTrail

Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association adds

Prickly poppy like some rocks, so we found them a bit out of the wash. We've seen purple nightshade blooming in the area for months now and it is still going strong, they like the shade too. It may be a bit early for blue dicks, we saw only one. Jimson Weed is doing great, you see them all over the place. Pincushions are good, at least more than a single one in other places. The Yellow Pincushions are more rare, they look good on film. Milk-vetch is still blooming and has large fruits, this is one of the places where you can find two species. Whispering bells are still there after many months. Bush monkeyflowers, you find many of them as well. Plenty of desert globemallow. Wild-cucumber has made some nice fruit, that's how you recognize them.