Natural History Wanderings

Arizona

a few poppies and lupine growing along the Apache Trail. Flower displays are sporadic at this time. It’s not quite time to take a serious day out there yet but a few photos can be had.See photos athttp://www.desertusa.com/wildflo/az.html#ixzz4ZZopYMHL

Dreamy Draw Recreation Area, Phoenix, on February 22, 2017. Photos athttp://www.desertusa.com/wildflo/az.html#ixzz4ZZoyFtMV

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.  I’ve been in Organ Pipe for 3 days now…everything is very green, but despite what they said at the Visitor Center, nothing really in bloom yet. A couple of very small patches of poppies, a couple isolated brittle brush in bloom and that’s about it. I would estimate at least a week, if not two until a major flower bloom.

California

Anza-Borrego  Ocotillo Wells SVRA reports: Wildflower walks near the Discovery Center/Amphitheater began last week, and we’ve had colorful news flashes every day, both from blossoms and rainbows. Delicate pygmy gold poppy (Eschscholzia minutiflora) blossoms are joining white popcorn flowers (Cryptantha spp.) to carpet the ground between small washes behind the Discovery Center. Photos at  http://www.desertusa.com/wildflo/ca_abdsp.html#ixzz4ZZpil3sA

Some wildflowers along Amboy road south of Bristol Dry lake, which is wet now, in some spots. The wind was strong and was blowing the sand. Photos at http://www.desertusa.com/wildflo/mnp.html#ixzz4ZZpy7AAB

Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve 2/21/7 photos at http://www.desertusa.com/wildflo/ca.html 

Texas

Bend Ranch State Park and Big Bend National Park Feb 18-20, 2017. This is a collage of many of the wildflowers. Most were small. They were common along the roadsides and in washes. It appeared the season was going to continue and there was rain on Feb 19. On Feb 20, I saw the first ocotillo buds.See photos at Desert Wildflower Reports for Texas – DesertUSA