Desert Wildflower Reports – DesertUSA has posted new reports today for Death Valley, Joshua Tree, Mojave NP & Amboy, Saddleback Butte, Red Rock Canyon State Park, and the drive to Julian in San Diego county from Orange County.
Death Valley National Park
I didn’t really see much in the way of wildflowers below about 1500 feet, but above that elevation there were a variety of flowers.
See photos of Asters, Evening Primrose and Globe Mallows at: Death Valley Wildflower Report – DesertUSA.
Joshua Tree National Park
just into the west park gate – approximately 3 miles. All kinds of wildflowers.
See photos of cactus and Globe Mallow at: Desert Wildflower Reports for Joshua Tree NP by DesertUSA.
Mojave National Preserve
3/21/14 chasing wildflowers along Kelbaker Rd. from I-40 up to about five miles past Kelso, with a brief diversion over to the dunes. I didn’t have nearly enough time.
Wildflowers seen included Mono groundsel, Layne’s, Nuttall’s, speckled and Borrego milkvetch, Fremont, Notch-leaved and Distant phacelia, Coulter’s and Shockely lupine, Blackbush, Blue sage, Wild rhubarb, Turpentine broom, and Ephedra sp., Interior goldenbush, Desert paintbrush, Showy and White golden gilia, Ambrosia sp., Mentzelia sp., Pale, Brown-eyed, Golden evening and Dune evening primrose, Pringle’s and Wallace woolly daisy, Desert dandelion, Scalebud, Desert chicory, Beavertail cactus, Schott’s calico, Lilac sunbonnets, Pricky and Desert pygmy poppy, White woolly daisy, Gooding’s verbena, Lotus sp., Cryptantha sp., Checker fiddleneck, Brittlebush, Fremont’s pincushion, White margin sandmat, Silky dalea, Miniature woollystar, Desert trumpet, Purple mat, Globemallow, Mojave aster and Desert lily.
There were also some outbursts of wildflowers along Amboy Rd. in Wonder Valley and leading up to and over Sheephole Pass. Wildflowers seen include Desert sand verberna, Desert sunflower, Arizona lupine, Rayless encilia, Jimsonweed, Hairy milkweed, Desert milkweed, Desert plantain and Desert Star.
See photos at: Desert Wildflower report Mojave National Preserve by DesertUSA.
Saddleback Butte
3/21/14 a wonderful carpet of coreopsis and many other wildflowers in the state park. The coreopsis is at the peak right now and will last about 2 more weeks. The white flowers of the evening primrose and others will be coming on more in the next week or so. Great hiking weather if you want to go to the peak of the butte. At the peak you will have 360 degree views from the San Gabriel to the Tahachipi mountains with the yellow carpet on the desert floor. Mornings are best before the wind kicks up. Weekdays are great for the solitude, very few people in the park today.
Red Rock Canyon S. P.
3/21/14 At the red cliffs picnic area I found lots of desert dandelion, brown-eyed evening primrose, fiddle neck, bladder pod, and others. The rains and thus the wildflowers are abundant but spotty.
See photos for above two posts at: Desert Wildflower Reports for Southern California by DesertUSA.
a drive down to Julian in San Diego county from Orange County on 3/20.
Route 76 usually has a nice spread of wildflowers along the road between Mount Palomar and Lake Henshaw. This year there were just a few monkeyflowers in bloom. Between Lake Henshaw and Julian there was nothing in bloom other than a few native lilacs and cultivated apple trees. Entering Julian there were a few daffodils in bloom but these can hardly be called wildflowers. Once in Julian there was a nice display of non-native lilacs around town. On the way back home we took route 79 from Warner Springs to Temecula. Once again, there was nothing to report in the way of wildflowers. We stopped for a short hike at Dripping Springs in the Agua Tibia Wilderness and the creek there was dry as a bone. It looks like San Diego County has had even less rain than the desert regions to the north and east of LA
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