Natural History Wanderings

Anza- Borrego Desert Natural History Association reports on February 19

Henderson Canyon Road
Desert lillies ( not yet in bloom) are to be found in many locations throughout the badlands, and they are seeing many more plants than in previous years.  These plants are maybe a week to bloom time.  The photo below was taken in a sandy patch along Henderson Canyon Road at the north end of the Borrego Valley.

Gert Wash Loop View hike details here
This was our second try to get up to Gert wash, the wall is pretty high.   This pre planned route took us where I wanted to go but a bit longer than expected,  a 5 1/2 hour hike. Interesting terrain,  home of the Emory’s indigo bush, Psorothamnus emoryi. The shallow washes are perfect for Big galetta, Hilaria rigida. We encountered plenty of germination. At the start I predicted 100 Orcutt’s woody aster, Xylorhiza orcuttii and we got 103, so that’s pretty close. And again mostly in the more narrow washes.

See photos at  Anza-Borrego Desert Wildflowers Update