Desert Wildflowers Anza-Borrego Desert

April 3, 2013 Mathieu reports: Here are some pictures from different parts of the park, taken on March 29th and 30th: The global tendency is: full or near-full blooms in the southwest corner of the park (Mountain Palm Campground, Yaqui Well and Cactus Loop) and flats around Borrego Springs, beginning of bloom in higher elevations (Yaqui Pass, Alcoholic Pass), pre-bloom east of Pinyon Mountains (Morteros, Pictograph)

April 2, 2013 DUSA reports: In addition to wildflower on April 6 and 7 the park is having its 10th Annual Archaeology Weekend at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Visitor Center Borrego Springs, California. More information. Don't forget to take a tour of the Metal Sculptures of Borrego Springs.

April 1, 2013 Elaine reports: Hellhole Canyon Cactus in bloom.

April 1, 2013 Billie reports: Farther up S2 at Bisnaga Wash in Anza Borrego Desert State Park, I found these in bloom, amongst many more! Taken 03-30-13.

These were taken the 30th on S2 at the 52 mile marker in Anza Borrego Desert State Park. There are not a lot of flowers out there, but enough to have fun taking pictures of them!

April 1, 2013 Freida reports: Desert Christmas trees (Purple Pop Ups) at Wagon and Country Club roads, Borrego Springs, 3/27/13

March 28, 2013 Tran reports: These photos were taken on Saturday, March 23 by the Hellhole Canyon trail in the Anza Borrego Desert State Park. There are close up shots of the buds on some of the cacti we saw. We're not familiar with the blooms, but would guess they are 2 weeks away from full bloom??

March 26, 2013 Mary reports: Photos from Anza Borrego, March 23 and 24. I found a pretty spot with Evening Primrose, Sand Verbena and short Desert Gold along the Henderson Canyon Road. There were also many California Primrose along Henderson Canyon Road and Di Giorgio Road. Cactus were starting to bloom with Fishhook, Barrel and Cholla Cactus on the Cactus Loop trail. The annual were varied though sparse at the beginning of this trail including Whispering Bells, Desert Star, Rock Daisy and Thick-leaved Ground Cherry. Surprise Canyon had poppies and Ocotillo blooming but I did not see many other species on a quick walk. In this extraordinary park, although a dry year, I saw 25+ species blooming in a brief visit.

March 26, 2013 Paul reports: We found these on S2 at about the 34 mile marker on March 24th. It took some searching but there are beautiful blooms out there.

March 25, 2013 ABDSP reports: The Mine Wash Road also has flowers in bloom. Two-wheel-drive vehicles can make it as far as the Indian Village site, which is a great place to explore.

March 23, 2013 Paul reports: The lily was just beyond the end of the pavement along Coyote Canyon Road.

March 21, 2013 ABDSP reports: The beginnings of the Cactus Loop Trail and the Yaqui Well Trail, across from Tamarisk Grove Campground, offer a variety of diminutive annuals in bloom, including poppies, whispering bells, and phacelia. Drivers of high-clearance vehicles can navigate the Yaqui Well road and find a large field of desert dandelions about 2.5 miles after leaving the pavement of highway S-3. This area can also be accessed via the Grapevine Canyon Road that leaves Highway 78 across from the turnout for Plum Canyon.

March 21, 2013 Elaine reports: Here are some photos from Palm Canyon Oasis and Coyote Canyon take on the 17th.

March 19, 2013 Janet reports: Spent Sat. the 16th. in Anza Borrego, and the wildflowers are so not happening, only a tiny bit of Verbenia in Coyote Cyn. and a small amount of Ocitillo scattered around, it was so disapointing. We covered most all of the areas.

March 17, 2013 Quentin reports: Here are some pictures of wildflowers I took yesterday (3/16) on the Palm Canyon Oasis Trail. Most of the pictures were taken around the water as the flowers in the rest of the trail were more rare and not as pretty!

March 16, 2013 ABDNHA reports: Henderson Canyon In the first part you see many wildflowers, then they seem to reduce, but after a short while they increase again. Lots of pygmy poppy, wild heliotrope, desert dandelion, bigelow's monkey flower (some of them still very small, don't step on them) trailing windmill, brown eyed evening primrose, desert chicory, lupine, chia, popcorn flower, false mustard, parish's gold poppy, bluebell, purple mat, lance leafed ditaxis, desert pincushion, short wing deer weed.

Further in the wash/canyon you also find: desert apricot, parish's golden eyes, desert rock pea, spectacle pod, white fiesta flower, fiddle neck, fountain grass and rock crossosoma. The bigelow's monkey flowers are much larger here and you find more parish's gold poppy's. Carla Hoegen & Fred Melgert

March 14, 2013 DUSA reports: There are some wildflowers in bloom now, here are some of the pictures we took today.

Desert marigolds along both sides of Yaqui Pass Road

Brown-eyed Evening Primrose

The above were found in washes along the Yaqui Pass Road



The above were seen at the west end of Hederson Canyon Rd

Sand verbena and Spanish Needles - north end of DiGiorgio Road

Desert Lily getting ready to bloom north end of DiGiorgio Road


Creosote Bush north end of DiGiorgio Road

March 11, 2013 ABDSP reports: Sand verbena and spectacle-pod are making an appearance at the north end of DiGiorgio Road, right where the pavement ends. Hikers with sharp eyes may be able to find monkeyflowers, phacelia, and canterbury bells in Borrego Palm Canyon, along with shrubs like chuparosa.

March 10, 2013 ABDNHA reports: There are lots of desert marigolds along both sides of Yaqui Pass Road leading up to Rams Hill

March 8, 2013 ABDSP reports: Rain! It is encouraging as far as the wildflower outlook. We may not get the showy fields of sunflowers this year, but the extra water should help other annuals hang on long enough to get a little bigger before they bloom!

March 8, 2013 Dusa reports: Rain today may get the wildflowers going.

March 4, 2013 ABDNHA reports: Glorieta Canyon: Filaree, parish gold poppy, popcorn flowers, chia, wallaces woolly daisy (yellow), false mustard, pale yellow sun cup, desert rock pea, whispering bells, rock daisy, white fiesta flower.

March 1, 2013 ABDNHA reports: Harper's Canyon- Wildflowers are starting to bloom here, in the lower part of the canyon. Desert apricot, Rock Daisy, Wild Heliotrope, Brown eyed evening primrose, 1 Bigelow's monkey flower, Pygmy poppy, Parish gold poppy.

Sunset Wash. More wildflowers here: Chuparosa, Wishbone bush, Lupine, Bishop's lotus, Ground cherry, heart leaved primrose. Report for ABDNHA from Fred & Carla

Feb. 28, 2013 ABDSP reports: This is the second year of lower-than-average rainfall, and we don't yet know if recent rains will mean a significant show of annuals in the Borrego valley. Annual plants that did germinate in the "flower fields" north of town are still quite small, but if weather conditions remain mild, they may come into bloom in the second half of March.

Right now a number of annuals, including phacelia, brown-eyed evening primrose, desert chicory, and two kinds of poppies, are blooming along the Elephant Tree Trail, off of Split Mountain Road. Be advised that the one-mile road to the Trail is rough and rocky, and not suitable for cars with low clearance.

Feb. 26, 2013 ABDNHA reports: Glorieta Canyon - The following flowers are just starting to bloom: Yellow Ground Cherry (in the nightshade family); Little Gold Poppy; Fiddleneck; Phacelia and Mammalaria. So far, Phacelia looks like it will be most abundant, but several other as yet unidentified plants had started to leaf out and some had flower buds that were not yet open. Marcy says "the the flowers we saw were few in number and just starting -- tucked away in little nooks and cranies in among the rocks. No broad swaths, yet, but there could be with the Phacelia before long."

Feb. 20, 2013 ABDNHA reports: Borrego Springs received .25 inches of rain last night from the winter storm that moved through San Diego County. The mountains that surround the Borrego Valley are covered in snow this morning. High temp for today is forecast to be 60 with temps in the low 70s returning this weekend. No additional rain is forecast by the National Weather Service for Borrego Springs over the next several days.

Feb. 19, 2013 DUSA reports: Took a trip around the northern park of the park looking for wildflowers, for a complete report with pictures click here. Here are a few pictures of what we found on the trip.

Feb. 13, 2013 Cliff reports: Elephant Tree Area - About a dozen or so species in bloom today (12th Feb) although none profusely (except perhaps desert lavender bushes which were doing well). Even a few ocotillo actually in bloom. Good to see spring on the uptick.

A bit further along phenology wise than Hellhole Canyon where we got only a few species in flower on 11th.

Feb. 13, 2013 Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association reports: Morteros full of water from Friday's rain (2/8/13) - seen during the ABDNHA tour to Mine Wash.

Feb. 7, 2013 Jim reports: Still early, needs more rain, the ground is wet about 1/2 inch below the surface. There were some plants just starting. Some Creosote Bushes are blooming along with some Brittlebush. Photos below.

Feb. 1, 2013 DUSA reports: No wildflower reports yet. The park's February 2013 Interpretive Schedule is up -- some interesting nature walks planned for the month. Click here for PDF schedule

Jan 24, 2013 DUSA reports: 80% chance of precipitation tomorrow, and 70% for Saturday.

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