Joshua Tree National Park reports on Feb. 20
Weekly wildflower reports are posted on the park website,http://www.nps.gov/jotr/planyourvisit/blooms.htm, throughout the peak season (typically mid-February through early May).
Wilson Canyon Dominant flowers are yellow Bladderpod bushes
Black Rock Campground and Keys View have budding Joshua tree flowers!
Cottonwood Canyon Dominant shrubs are yellow Bladderpod & red Chuparosa bushes
The dominant species visible in the park are the Bladderpod bushes (Cleome isomeris). Within Wilson Canyon, other flowers are Desert Starvine (Brandegea bigelovii), Desert Globe-Mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua), Brittlebush (Encelia farinose), Turpentine broom (Thamnosma montana), Creosote Bush (Larrea tridentata), Thick-Leaf Ground-Cherry (Physalis crassifolia), Desert-Lavender (Hyptis emoryi), Coyote Tobacco (Nicotiana obtusifolia), and Wolfberry (Lycium schweinfurthii).
Desert Rock Pea is becoming more obvious along the road of Cottonwood Canyon. Canterbury Bells (Phacelia campanularia) are reported along Cottonwood Wash. More common are Bladderpod (Cleome isomeris), Chuparosa (Justicia californica), Desert Lavender (Hyptis emoryi), and Mistletoe (Phoradendron californicum). Less abundant are Sweetbush (Bebbia juncea), Starvine (Brandegea bigelovii), Coyote Tobacco (Nicotiana obtusifolia),
Thick-Leaf Ground-Cherry (Physalis crassifolia), Trixis (T. californica), Bush Peppergrass (Lepidium fremontii), Climbing Milkweed (Sarcostemma cyanchoides), and Globe Mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua).
Cholla Cactus Garden Though no cacti are blooming, there are a few perennial flowers in the area, like Coyote Tobacco (Nicotiana obtusifolia, shown). Others include Thick-Leaf Ground-Cherry (Physalis crassifolia). At the Ocotillo Patch (Fouquieria splendens) blossoms are very few at this time.
Porcupine Wash Emory’s Rock-Daisy and Bladderpod (Cleome isomeris). The walk toward Ruby Lee Mine is showing more variety, yet low abundance of Desert Lavender (Hyptis emoryi), Starvine (Brandegea bigelovii), and Desert Mistletoe (Phoradendron californicum). Others include Creosote (Larrea tridentata), Viguiera (Bahiopsis parishii), Spanish Needles (Palafoxia arida), Bush Perppergrass (Lepidium fremontii), Canterbury Bells (Phacelia campanularia), California Buckwheat Eriogonum fasciculatum), Desert Globe Mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua), and Paperbag Bush (Scutellaria Mexicana).
Rattlesnake Canyon Reported blooms are of Bladderpods (Cleome isomeris), Desert Mistletoe (Phoradendron californicum), and Desert Almond (Prunus fasciculata).
Natural History Wanderings 
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