Natural History Wanderings

Antelope Valley California Poppy Preserve just post the Current Bloom Status for 3/15/15

Wow, Mother Nature pulled the rug out from under us. We’re astonished to find that our big bloom of desert-adapted, ruggedly persistent poppies has been all but cooked away by the unseasonable heat we’ve had over the last week. Where we had the densest poppy germination anyone’s seen in a decade, all that’s left on the south slopes are desiccated orange petals that didn’t even have a chance to go to seed before they were left shriveled on the stalk. This is completely unexpected, as the early and regular rains this winter should have given the plants the deep growing roots that would enable them to withstand a month of dry weather; however heat waves are always a variable factor that can quickly alter any prediction.

However, all is not lost! The north slopes of the reserve are angled away from the sun and still have lovely mosaics of color with goldfields, forget-me-nots, gold cups, cream cups, owl’s clover, and lupine among scattered poppies. The best patches of wildflowers can be found on the north sides of Kitanemuk Vista Point, Valley Vista Point at the far east end of the park (just before Antelope Butte Vista Point), and the Vista Point just up from the east end of the paved parking lot.

Can the season be saved if we get a good rain? Where the poppy plants aren’t dead, they could be triggered to put out more buds…. but it would have to come soon. Still, the weather has been beautiful, the views are amazing, and visitors have enjoyed the beauty of the reserve despite the disappearance of the poppies.  We’re unable to predict how long the bloom will last at this point, but at this rate, as soon as mid-April there may be little left of this year’s bloom.

Click here for current photos.