Natural History Wanderings

Anza-Borrego Desert Wildflowers: Species in bloom reports on

 2/23/2018 Right now the best place to be is in Coyote Canyon, from first to third crossing (including Box canyon) and Collins valley (including Indian, Sheep, Salvador).
Good spotty germination at the end of di Giorgio asphalt, that probably results in weak bloom.
NO germination at all along Henderson Canyon road. A.K.A> the sunflower patch.
Carrizo Canyon from the S2 south up to Rockhouse canyon, here it’s very green but no germination, but with no additional rain.
Starting just North of Indian Gorge up to and including Carrizo Wash, with no additional rain.
North of Vallecito station up to Hornblende canyon.

02/24/2018 Salt creek This is our to return area. One of the goals was to check out a lot of Desert baccharis, Baccharis sergiloides and take leaf photos.
The search may have paid off by finding a different Baccharis, that might be the plant on our to find list Baccharis salicina.
Carla finally found one Heermann’s lotus, Acmispon heermannii heermannii in bloom.
Everything looks just fine in the area, germination, green and very promising for the months to come.
And a very good bloom count so cold and close to 3000 feet.

02/23/2018 Salvador canyon This is were the summer and some additional rain fell.
The germination is good, but still (almost) no bloom from annuals, in itself a good sign as the plants take time to grow.
Things look very promising in this canyon, peak bloom in this canyon will most likely be in early April.

See photos and older reports at Anza-Borrego Desert Wildflowers: Species in bloom

Anza-Borrego Desert Wildflowers: Species in bloom reports on 02/21/2018  for Collins Valley south

Boulder alley looked so green with many blooming plants, so we decided to explore the south end of Collins valley, more or less above boulder alley.
The flower count was good, especially the canyon to the west. Well worth exploring in a month or so.
Species in bloom below 3000 feet: 40 + 11 along the road.

See photos and older reports at Anza-Borrego Desert Wildflowers: Species in bloom

Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association reports

A recent trip to the desert impressed by the abundance of Chuparosa in flower in Plum Canyon and Glorietta Canyon, especially Plum Canyon.  Lots of the germination at the southern end of the Coyote Canyon Jeep Trail, across from the citrus groves. May be two or three weeks away from flowers, but we will have some flowers for visitors to see this season.  

On a wider scale, we have not had the rain this winter that gave us the widespread super bloom last year.  Unless there is a major storm in the next few weeks, this flower season will consist of more dispersed blooms, pockets of flowers here and there, wherever the ground moisture holds  enough water to support the annual plant growth.

Anza-Borrego Desert Wildflowers most recent postings

2/12/2018 The germination from the rain is mostly gone because of the high temperatures and the lack of additional rain.
2/18/2018 No rain, things don’t look very bright.

Only if a miracle happens, like a good rain in March we might get a bloom in April.
When is the question, peak bloom normally occurs between mid March – mid April. But this isn’t going to happen now.
WARNING this is still a BIG IF.