Wildflowers in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona, USA

Oct. 12^th, 2013. Summer monsoon rains were generous in many places across the deserts and high country of Arizona and New Mexico. The result is that there is now a profusion of fall wild flowers particularily along roadsides in the higher elevations north and east of Phoenix and Tucson. A drive out Apache Trail was very colorful with bright lichens adding to the show of color.

May 25^th, 2013. The ephemeral spring annuals at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument have long since whithered to brown, crispy wisps. But the dominant cacti and many of the shrubs are still blooming now. Temperatures exceed 35° every day, but evenings and mornings are very pleasant. Besides those shown just below, Desert Ironwood, White-thorn Acacia, Desert Tobacco, Velvet Mesquite, and Skeleton Weed were also flowering nicely.

April 21^st, 2013. The desert grassland and piñon-juniper areas north and east of metropolitan Phoenix are still showing a lot of beautiful flowers. Desert Mariposa Lilies were especially glorious along Seven Springs Road north of Carefree. Many other species are in full bloom, but temperatures in excess of 30°C mean they will soon be going to seed.

March 21^st, 2013. An abundance of wildflowers were observed and identified by members of the Arizona Native Plant Society field trip northeast of Mesa, Arizona. Among the many species seen in bloom include: Chuparosa (Justicia californica), Hairy Bowlesia (Bowlesia incana), Triangle-leaf Bursage (Ambrosia deltoidea), Mojave Desert Star (Monoptilon bellioides), Desert Chicory (Rafinesquia neomexicana), San Felipe Marigold (Adenophyllum porophylloides), Desert Marigold (Baileya multiradiata), Brittlebush (Encelia farinosa) California Goldfields (Lasthenia californica), Orange Fiddleneck (Amsinckia intermedia), Wingnut Cryptantha (Cryptantha pterocarya), Comb Bur (Pectocarya platycarpa), Asian Mustard;Sahara Mustard (Brassica tournefortii) California Mustard (Guillenia lasiophylla), Peppergrass (Lepidium lasiocarpum), London Rocket (Sisymbrium irio), Lacepod (Thysanocarpus curvipes), Bigroot (Marah gilensis), Small-seed Sandmat (Chamaesyce polycarpa) Red-stemmed Fillaree (Erodium cicutarium), Eucrypta (Eucrypta micrantha), Notch-leaved Phacelia (Phacelia crenulata), Blue Fiesta Flower (Pholistoma auritum), Chia (Salvia columbariae), Blazingstar -- Mentzelia, Desert Globe Mallow (Sphaeralcia ambigua),. Fairy Duster (Calliandra eriophylla), Pale Evening Primrose (Camissonia pallida), California Sundrop (Camissonia californica), California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica), Seaside Deervetch (Lotus salsuginosus), Lupine (Lupinus sparsiflorus), Woolly Plantain (Plantago patagonica), Red Brome Grass (Bromus rubens), Yellowthroat Gilia (Gilia flavocincta), Miner's Lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata), Desert Windflower (Anemone tuberosa), Shrubby Bedstraw (Galium stellatum), Thornbush;Wolfberry (Lycium spp), and Pellitory (Perietaria pennsylvanica).
With very warm, dry conditions the show won't last long!

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March 12^th, 2013. Rains in December were a hopeful sign that Spring 2013 would be good for wildflowers. Most of January was quite dry, there was a hard freeze, and prospects for a showy spring were dim. From Friday January 25th thru Monday the 28th rainfall arrived across much of the Sonoran Desert. Since January only a few light rain showers have kept the annuals small and widely spaced. There are no fabulous shows, but by searching many of the desert beauties can be found.

On March 8th and 9th a late winter storm brought significant rain to parts of the Sonoran Desert, particularly north and east of Phoenix and Tucson. The annuals are revived and the perennial shrubs and cacti will bloom nicely through May. In the weeks after the rain record high temperatures above 30°C will propel growth as well as drying. Along the Bartlet Dam Road north of Scottsdale there are slopes covered with bright California Poppies: