Desert Wildflowers

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The Desert in Bloom -- When conditions are right, the desert can burst into bloom, creating a lush landscape where it seemed nothing could grow. Desert wildflowers take advantage of late fall and early winter storms by developing and spreading their seeds during winter, before the heat resumes in spring. Termed winter annuals, these plants will only germinate if there is sufficient water at the right time. The seeds are protected by a coating that must be sufficiently soaked for germination to occur. If that happens, the stalks will usually break the surface at the end of January or early February, and continue to develop for another couple of months. Flower expert Mark Wheeler explains that a late December rain with a warm soil temperature or sometimes a "March Miracle" of rainfall of two inches of rain in one event in March can also trigger a spring bloom.

Included in this list are flowering perennials, plants that survive beyond the yearly life cycle of the winter annuals. These plants take advantage of rainfall at any time of the year, and may come into bloom any time conditions are right.

 

 

DESERT WILDFLOWERS

 

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Photo tips: Most digital point-and-shoot cameras have a macro function - usually symbolized by the icon of a little flower. When you turn on that function, you allow your camera to get closer to the subject, looking into a flower for example. Or getting up close and personal with a bug. More on desert photography.

Mojave Desert Wildflowers - This book is the standard by which all other wildflower books are measured. The author, Jon Mark Stewart, has combined super photography with concise information. This book has an entire color page for each wildflower covered, with a discussion of the wildflower. 210 pages with 200 color photos. More...

 

 

The Desert Environment
The North American Deserts
Desert Geological Terms