Natural History Wanderings

Anza-Borrego Desert SP has the following Wildflower Update for March 18, 2014

Winter rains this year have not been enough to prompt a showy display of annual wildflowers, but a careful observer willing to spend some time looking can find something in bloom somewhere.

The Palo Verde trees are absolutely stunning at the Visitor Center! Loaded with yellow blossoms and literally buzzing with bees, they are a delight that won’t last much longer.

The Visitor Center also has brittlebush and chuparosa in bloom, as well as Wolf’s Cholla, Hedgehog, and Barrel cactus flowering.

Ocotillo are in full bloom in the north and south forks of Indian Canyon (Four-wheel drive, high clearance vehicles only!) in the southern part of the park, and along highway S-3 entering Borrego Springs from the south.

Agave are starting to send up flowering stalks along Highway 78 between Tamarisk Grove and Plum Canyon, on the north side of the road.

Hikers/walkers are finding some annuals in the “new” washes north and south of the road into Glorieta Canyon—ground cherry, cryptantha, poppies—and the spiny desert senna is starting to bloom along the road. It smells so good! 2WD is OK, but vehicles need some clearance to get all the way up the road.

Coyote Canyon, Borrego Palm Canyon, and Cool Canyon, as well as other western canyons, are a good place to hike and look for blooms.

Visitors reported a few poppy plants in bloom in Lizard Wash. It is 4WD-only, so flower-seekers in regular cars should park on the side of Highway 78 and walk in. You shouldn’t have to walk very far to find a few flowers.

The hike to Big Spring, in the Culp Valley area, should yield several varieties of flowering shrubs, and perhaps a few annuals near water.

Related articles

• Anza Borrego Wildflower Report: Chuckwalla Canyon Wash 3/18/14 (naturalhistorywanderings.com)
• Anza-Borrego Wildflowers: Culp Valley 3/17/14 (naturalhistorywanderings.com)