Natural History Wanderings

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Wildflower Update February 28, 2017

Good rains in December and January, plus over two inches this month, have annual plants growing in the flower fields north of town, and along trails in western canyons, and even in the badlands.

Desert lily plants are exploding into bloom in many locations, including the badlands. The dirt road to Arroyo Salado Primitive Camp is a good place to look for lilies (beyond the camp area, 4WD is recommended).

Yesterday’s rain (1.5 inches!) gave plants quite a drenching, and increasing temperatures in the coming week should have more plants blooming. Sunflowers in the “Flower Fields” along Henderson Canyon Road are getting larger, most have buds, but only a few are blooming (so far).

Spectacle-pod is blooming at the north end of Di Giorgio Road. The Coyote Canyon Road has been flooded again, with large quantities of flowing water and deep mud impeding traffic approximately one-half mile up the road. Drivers of two-wheel-drive vehicles should park at the end of the pavement and walk, either up the dirt road, or out onto the flats, for desert lilies in bloom, dune evening primrose, and patches of sand verbena, as well as the occasional blooming desert sunflower.

Poppies, phacelia, cryptantha, chuparosa and brittlebush have been blooming at the Visitor Center, where desert dandelions and other annuals are starting to make an impressive showing.

Borrego Palm Canyon is beautiful right now, with Canterbury Bells, Poppies, Monkeyflower, and Phacelia blooming against lots of bright green foliage! Brittlebushes are loaded with buds, and should be bursting with bright yellow flowers before long.

Visitors to the southern end of the park would do well to spend some time at the Carrizo Badlands Overlook, where lupine, spectacle-pod, and brown- eyed evening primrose can be found near the parking area, and desert lilies on the hillside should be blooming by now.

It’s hard to predict a peak, but we should see many more flowers coming into bloom this week. If temperatures continue to be mild, flowers should persist through the first half of March, at least, and perhaps later as well.

For updates, join Anza-Borrego Foundation’s email list at http://www.theabf.org or call the State Park Wildflower Hotline, 760-767-4684.

Calphoto  also has the following report

the best area I found for wildflowers was at the Desert Garden. I also went to Palm Canyon looking for the Big Horned Sheep.

There were a few in the morning. They were scared away by some people and a helicopter looking for a missing person. Extra ranfers on duty keeping people on the trails. There are so many peopl off the trails they are treatening to close the area while the sheep have their young

Anza Borregohiking.com has photos at Anza-Borrego Wildflowers Guide album  and at Anza Borregohiking.com