Tucson Area
2009 Reports
Apr. 24, 2009 Jim reports: I hiked in the Santa Catalina Mountains, Pontatoc Trail on 4/24/09. Ocotillo were blooming profusely . Saguaro were also blooming. I also saw flowers on baby bonnets, Palo verde, acacia, desert honeysuckle, desert lavender, globe mallow, fleabane, Goodding’s Verbena, thistle (pictured), Engelmann’s prickly pear, cholla cactus, velvet mesquite (28) and more!
Apr. 4, 2009 Annee reports: I often hike the Southerland Trail at Catalina State Park. Although, last year's wildflowers were spectacuar, especially the poppy, it has been equally wonderful this year with the lupine, chicory, poppy, faerie duster. desert lavender, blue dicks, owl clover, fleabane, hopbush (my favorite) and now the mariposa. And, even though we haven’t had rain, they seem to be lasting much longer. I took these pictures on the Southerland Trail. This is the only place I have seen the yellow mariposa (which are supposed to be quite rare)
April 3, 2009 Paul reports: Globe AZ the Toll Road, or #200 Trail, in
the Pinal Mountain foothills was a pleasant hike Thursday morning. No
carpets of color, but lots of cool stuff, including Cream Cups
(Platystemon californicus), Rabbit Thorn (Lycium pallidum), funky "Antelope Horns" milkwee (Asclepias asperula) and also one of my favorite
Sonoran desert wildflowers... ch-ch-ch-chia! Also known as Salvia
columbariae, they're still flowering, and haven't set seed yet. There was
also Wallflower, astragalus, wild carrot, verbena... and lots of
butterflies: Buckeyes, Skipperlings, Spring Azures, etc. Birds, too: I
heard my first Scott's Oriole of 2009 Thursday and Black-chinned Sparrows
were also singing.
The city of Globe is about two hours north of Tucson or equidistant and
East of Phoenix -- If you drive to Globe this week to check out
wildflowers in the Pinal mountain foothills, its also worth hiking the
developed trails at the Round Mountain Park, which is close to downtown
Globe (turn at the Country Kitchen Restaurant near the crossroads of
highways 60/70). This year Round Mountain park has the biggest bloom I've
ever seen there of Wallflower (Erysimum capitatum) and there are also
desert onions, Penstemon barbatus and more all easily photographed right
alongside the trails. Watch for Larkspur on the East Trail; i saw small
plants here about a week ago -- they should bloom by the second week of
April. Hedgehog cacti are blooming vivid magenta on the east trail this
week, too.
March 30, 2009 Sara reports: - My husband and I hiked
the Sweetwater Trail in Saguaro Nat'l Park - Tucson Mountain District (at the
end of Camino del Cerro) yesterday and the ocotillo is almost in full bloom...gorgeous!
Also saw lots of orange globemallow and a few strawberry hedgehog cactus.
Looks like the prickly pear will be blooming in a week or two. We can't wait
to go back and see them!
Mar. 26, 2009 Jim reports: I hiked in the Santa Catalina Mountains, Sutherland Trail, on March 25. Saw blooming lupine, penstemon, blue dicks, desert fairy duster, desert honeysuckle, mallow, fleabane, thistle, ocotillo, owl's clover and more. Hopbush seed pods beautiful. Rattlesnakes are out.
Mar. 22, 2009 Jim reports: I hiked in the Santa Catalina Mountains, Esperero Canyon Trail today (3/22/09). Saw blooming lupine, penstemon, poppy, blue dicks, brittlebush, creosote bush, desert fairy duster, desert honeysuckle, mallow, desert marigold, fleabane, verbena, hedgehog cactus, hopbush, thistle, ocotillo, scarlet sage, primrose, and much more. Beautiful!
Mar. 20, 2009 Jay reports: These photos were taken on the Shantz Trail (western portion) in Saguaro National Park - East (Tucson) on the morning of March 19. There was also plenty of creosote bush blooming and some brittlebush. Some of the ocotillos have buds and are about to blossom.
Mar. 13, 2009 Organ Pipe reports:Here at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, we have a very popular 21 mile loop named the Ajo Mountain Drive. This week the brilliant yellow Brittle Bush crowns the drive, seeping in and out of rocks, lining the mountains and the road. They seem to attract most of the attention, but if one looks more carefully, sweet little rock daisies can be found popping up to say hello.
Creosote seems to sparkle among the cacti, and lining the drive up to Wild Horse Tanks (stop number 11), the Lupine spring into full action. Perry’s Penstemon, Bladder Pods and Desert-Chicory are sprinkled along the desert floor. The secret is in the hikes along the Ajo Mountain Drive. Go to Estes Canyon and you will see a whole array of color dazzling Mexican Gold Poppies along the wash, fiery orange Globe Mallow, and beautiful purple Scorpion Weed. As you are leaving you will run into a wash with our brilliant red Chuparosa with our resident humming bird guarding her closely. Ocotillo is also starting to blaze up in the all the elevations on the Ajo Mountain Drive.
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument conducts flower tours on certain mornings, please call the visitor center for time and availability, they are free and run on donations from riders like you.
Mar. 10, 2009 Miyuki reports: Organ Pipe Cactus NM - We hiked Bull Pasture Trail to the top and walked back on Estes Canyon Trail. Many poppies, white tackstem, glovemallow, penstemon, small purple flowers (scorpion weed?) and fiddleneck (I think) were in bloom as well as brittle bush and creosote bush, at lower part of the trail. Some ocotillos, lupines, rock daisies, desert paintbrush flowers were seen also.
We were new hikers, don’t know well about flowers and this was our first time to be in the park, so we didn’t know what to expect. But I assumed it wasn’t the best or full bloom and as a park ranger told me, flowers seemed small. The hedgehog cactus in the picture was the only cactus flower we saw and was seen at Alamo Canyon on March 8. (Camera: Kodak DX7440 degital)
Mar. 9, 2009 Picacho Peak State Park reports: At Picacho Peak State Park there are not many wildflowers this season, hardly any poppies anymore (they burned out after last week's hot weather). Once green, but now dried-up fiddleneck, is in abundance. Scattered lupine and desert marigold are blooming mostly along the roadways. Brittlebush and creosote are in bloom.
Mar. 5, 2009 Steve reports: On Feb 28th we hiked the Bull Pasture and Estes Canyon Trail in the Organ Pipe National Monument. There were several patches of poppies in the Bull Pasture area, as well as a number of individual plants along the trails and route up to the border with the Tohono O'odham Reservation, including some nice Indian Paintbrush, sky rocket, globe mallow and others. (Camera Oly 5050Z, stitched images.)
Mar. 5, 2009 Sharlene reports: I took these pictures at Saguaro National Park- Tucson District. I noticed the flowers were becoming more abundant as the week went on.
Mar. 2, 2009 Jay reports: I hiked the Douglas Spring trail in Saguaro National Park - East this morning. Fairy dusters were at their peak. Chia were blooming at the lower part of the trail and beginning to bloom at higher altitudes. Modest amounts of creosote bush blossoms, globe mallow, fleabane, white tackstem, and what I think were wild heliotrope and maybe bahia were also seen. No showy carpets of flowers but still nice and heading for what hopefully will be at least an average season.
Feb 28, 2009 Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument Reports: Here at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, we have a very popular 21 mile loop named the Ajo Mountain Drive. It is filled with wildflower buds just ready to burst into scenic yellow poppy blankets on the mountain. This week Mexican Golden Poppies dominate interspersed with purple Lupine and pink Perry Penstemon. Lupine line the way up to Birds-eye Point; once there, patches of Mexican Golden Poppies with scattered Scorpion Weed may be seen. Progressing down the road you are greeted by more popping Poppies, waving to you as you go by. Fairy Dusters are coming into bloom, lining the sides of the desert road as well as the Brilliant red Chuparosa with our resident humming bird guarding her closely. Ocotillo is also starting to blaze up in the higher elevations on the Ajo Mountain Drive.
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument conducts flower tours on certain mornings; please call the visitor center for time and availability - they are free and run on donations from riders like you.
Feb 28, 2009 Saguaro National Park Reports: The flowering season has begun at Saguaro National Park East, but there are no major shows yet. Flowers in this report are found along the Cactus Forest Loop Drive, beyond the Visitor Center located just off Old Spanish Trail on Tucson's far east side. On the west side spring is slipping into the canyons and roadsides of the Park. Lots of tiny green shoots are appearing throughout the area, and a few blossoms have made early appearances.
Feb. 27, 2009 Jay reports: Fairy dusters appear to be at their peak bloom in Sabino Canyon, especially along Bear Canyon Trail. They are in the early stages of blossoming in the cactus forest area of Saguaro National Park - East.
Feb. 26, 2009 Jim reports: I hiked 7 Falls in Bear Canyon in Tucson 2/25/09. Saw lots of different wildflowers. Mexican gold poppy, creosote bush, primrose, blue dicks, desert honeysuckle, desert lavender, lupine, globe mallow, and many more.
Feb. 23, 2009 Jim reports: I hiked Phoneline Trail in Sabino Canyon (Tucson) on 2/22/09. I saw desert fairy duster and globemallow blooming.
Feb. 22, 2009 Pete reports: These were taken today in Saguaro National Park in Tucson. They are spare but promising.
Feb. 19, 2009 Picacho Peak State Park reports: We are looking at mostly green mountainsides at Picacho Peak State Park, just a hint of flowers here and there. Very few, spotty and localized patches of poppies are in Barrett Loop. The weather has been great for hiking and exploring the park.
Feb. 9, 2009 Jay reports: Not much yet in Tucson but a number of nice desert marigolds are in bloom on the southeast corner of Broadway Blvd and Houghton Rd (a couple of miles west of Saguaro Nat'l Park - East). Rain is expected tonight and during the day tomorrow.
Jan. 5, 2009 DUSA reports: Some early rain may help the wildflowers this year. Blooms should start in February.
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Here for Phoenix Area
Estimated Blooming Dates for Saguaro NP
February, annual wildflowers begin to bloom.
Flowers such as poppies, lupines, owl clover, and desertmarigold bloom in spring or summer when conditions are right.
Most cactus blossoms can be found from mid-April through September.
The saguaro cactus blooms from late April through June.
Many of the flowering trees, such as palo verde and mesquite blossom in April and May.
The ocotillo flowers from March through June.
Some pictures and slide shows from 2006 and 2005
We have made a slideshow of 45 pictures we received during the 2005 season. We have now added 2006. If you have a fast connection and the Flash plugin installed - click below to enjoy the show.
2006 Wildflower season. - Click here to play.
2005 Wildflower season. - Click here to play.
Send your pictures and reports to Jim@desertusa.com. He will post them on the wildflower reports site so that everyone can enjoy the wildflowers. Please do not change the automatically generated subject line on your E-mail to us. We use this subject to make sure we are able to spot your E-mail. (Please include dates and locations of your pictures).
More Wildflowers reports
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When Will The Wildflowers Bloom?
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