Arizonensis --> Sonoran Desert Naturalist --> Sonoran Desert Wildflowers

Wildflowers in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona, USA

Desert Wildflower Outlook for Spring 2010

March 14th, 2010. From Phoenix west to California the wild flower season is approaching full-swing! The coming week will be sunny and warm which will accelerate growth and flowering. The heavy rains of mid January 2010 were followed by nearly a month of stingy rain. Then the Sonoran Desert had three successive weekends with significant rain events. Our mountains and plains are now all very, very green with many flowers opening with color.

Wildflowers Blooming in Western Arizona
March 14th, 2010

Desert Lily
Hesperocallis © by Mike Plagens

Mar. 14, 2010. Amazing lily shooting up from dry sandy soils observed east of Parker, Arizona. More info
Sand Verbena

Mar. 14, 2010. Hemispheres of bright pink flowers forming carpets on sand dunes. Seen on Colorado River Indian Reservation. More info

Desert Marigold

Mar. 14, 2010. All yellow daisy-like flowers especially at roadsides. Leaves and stems velvety. Observed at roadside near Vicksburg, Arizona. More info
Brittle Bush

Mar. 14, 2010. Blooming in profusion along sides of I-10 for most of way to California border. Silvery green leaves with so many yellow sunflowers. More info
Desert Sunflower
© by Mike Plagens

Mar. 14, 2010. Flowers a little wider than Brittle Bush. Annual version of sandy soil. Seen at roadside near Parker, Arizona. More info

Wildflower Season Beginning on March 6th, 2010
@ Maricopa Mountains, Arizona

Anderson Wolfberry
© by Mike Plagens

Mar. 6, 2010. Small tubular flowers on a thorny shrub. These will later give rise to an abundance of red berries. More info
London Rocket

Mar. 6, 2010. Abundant weed in the city and sometimes in desert along washes. Small yellow flowers. More info
California Mustard

Mar. 6, 2010. Very small whitish flowers on succulent early mustard. More info
Pelitory

Mar. 6, 2010. Delicate herb with small green flowers hidden below leaves. More info
Red Grama

Mar. 6, 2010. Purplish-red spikelets appear to twirl around stem. Small perennial grass - yes grasses have true flowers. More info

Wildflowers Beginning on Feb. 27th, 2010
@ Deem Hills, Arizona

Small-Flowered Hideseed
© by Mike Plagens

Feb. 27, 2010. Nearly minute pale blue flowers with four petals and soft, pinnately cleft leaves. More info
Creosote Bush

Feb. 27, 2010. Hardy desert shrub with shiny green leaves and five-petalled, yellow flowers followed by fuzzy seeds. More info
Yellow Bladderpod

Feb. 27, 2010. Bright yellow, four-petalled flowers on low herb. Fruit forms spherical pods. More info
Orange Fiddleneck

Feb. 27, 2010. A few small plants with just a few open flowers. More info
Bluedicks

Feb. 27, 2010. Small lilac-blue lillies on tall, flexible stems. More info

Wildflowers Hard to Find on Feb. 17th, 2010
@ Buckeye Hills, Arizona

Bowlesia
© by Mike Plagens

Feb. 17, 2010. Distinctive shaped leaf, but flowers are minute and close to stem. More info
Comb Bur

Feb. 17, 2010. Five-pointed flowers are very small; the ruler is marked in mm! Abundant grass-like plants growing esp in shade of desert trees. More info
Brittle Bush

Feb. 17 2010. Just a few of these bright yellow daisies along SR-85. More info
Bigelow's Four O'Clock

Feb. 17 2010. A few buds about to burst open. Light pink. More info
Orange Fiddleneck

Feb. 17 2010. A few small plants with just a few open flowers. More info

Early Wildflowers seen Jan. 31st, 2010
Yuma County, Arizona

Desert Globe Mallow
© by Mike Plagens

Jan. 31, 2010. Pinkish-orange flowers on mostly herbaceous shrubs with many stems. More info
Desert Lavender

Jan 31, 2010. Small lavender flowers on silvery shrub with sagey leaves. More info
Holly-leaf Bursage

Jan. 31, 2010. Spikes of green flower heads on desert wash plant with course, holly-like leaves. More info
Rock Hibiscus

Jan. 31, 2010. Delicate pink hibiscus flowers on sparse, scraggly bushes. More info
Brown Eyes
© by Mike Plagens

Jan. 31, 2010. Nodding spikes of yellow or white, four-petal flowers. Seed pod forms below the flower. More info

Jan. 22nd, 2010. A series of powerfull and very wet storm fronts moved across the Desert Southwest between Monday and Friday this week. Most areas recieved more rain than during all of last year. In deed flash flooding and saturated soils are the norm even in the normally driest areas areas such as Yuma and La Paz Cos., Arizona. Within two weeks the Sonoran Desert will be transformed into vast greening pastures and by March an abundance of wildflowers should reign! Neighboring Mojave and Chihuahuan Deserts will likewise be blooming with abundant flowers this spring. Go ahead, book your trip to this colorful, vibrant desert.

Early Wildflowers seen Jan. 24th, 2010
at Thunderbird Park in Glendale, Arizona

Brittlebush

Jan. 24 2010. Bright yellow daisies on roadside shrubs with silvery green leaves. More info
Wolfberry
© by Mike Plagens

Jan. 24, 2010. Small, obscure flowers on now leafy shrub. But watch for hummingbirds eagerly taking nectar. More info
Desert Globe Mallow
© by Mike Plagens

Jan. 24, 2010. Pinkish-orange flowers on mostly herbaceous shrubs with many stems. More info
Desert Lavender

Jan 24, 2010. Small lavender flowers on silvery shrub with sagey leaves. More info
Desert Marigold

Jan. 24, 2010. All-yellow daisy-like flower with silky-pubesent leaves on herbaceous perennial. More info

Dec. 18th, 2009. The fierce and powerfull storm that tracked across North America Dec. 6th to Dec. 10th passed right through the Phoenix, Arizona area. It was moving very fast as it dropped some localized heavy precipitation to the north and not much at all to the south.

Wildflowers seen Oct. 10th, 2009 at Rackensck Wash
North of Carefree, Arizona

Tree Tobacco
Desert Willow

Oct. 10, 2009. Small tree with mostly green stems, large glaucus leaves, and tubular yellow flowers. More info
Hummingbird Trumpet
© by Mike Plagens

Oct. 10, 2009. Red tubular flowers. Mostly herbaceous perennial occuring near boundary of mesquite bosque and riparian streams. More info
Sanpdragon Vine
© by Mike Plagens

Oct. 10, 2009. Small maroon or red, two-lipped flowers on an herbaceous vine. More info
Skeleton Weed
© by Mike Plagens

Oct. 10, 2009. Numerous pink-white flowers on intricately branched stem rising from a ring of leaves at ground level. More info
Desert Broom
© by Mike Plagens

Oct. 10, 2009. Dense, green-stemmed bush topped with numerous small, fluffy, white flower heads. More info

Wildflowers seen at Gilbert Riparian Preserve
Greenfield @ Guadalupe Rd., Gilbert, Arizona

Desert Willow
Desert Willow

Aug 25, 2009. Small tree with strap-shaped leaves and pink to white trumpet flowers. More info
Mexican Palo Verde
© by Mike Plagens

Aug. 25, 2009. Medium sized tree with green twigs and stems. Yellow flowers. Sharp thorns. More info
Seep Baccharis
© by Mike Plagens

Aug. 25, 2009. Clusters of small white flowers atop large, dark green shrubs. Flowers are very attractive to butterflies and pollinators. More info
Desert Senna
© by Mike Plagens

Aug. 25, 2009. Yellow flowers with five-petalled ochre-yellow flowers. Shrubby plant normally about knee high. More info
Quail Bush
© by Mike Plagens

Aug. 25, 2009. Large silvery-leaved shrubs with pendulant, branching clusters of very small whitish flowers. Abundant seed to feed birds. More info

Wildflowers along the Mesquite Wash , Maricopa Co., Arizona

Buttonbush
Buttonbush

Aug 1, 2009. Large shrubs with opposite or whorled, elyptical leaves. Spherical clusters of bright white flowers. More info
Watercress
© by Mike Plagens

Aug. 1, 2009. Succuelent herb normally growing in shallows of flowing stream. Clusters of small white flowers. More info
Cocklebur
© by Mike Plagens

Aug. 1, 2009. Robust, weedy plant growing on terraces adjacent to riparian zones. Green flowers develop into burs. More info
Centaury
© by Mike Plagens

Aug. 1, 2009. Bright pink, five-pointed flowers on leafy stems less than 1/2 meter. Moist soil along stream. More info
Hooker's Evening Primrose
© by Mike Plagens

Aug. 1, 2009. Robust herbaceous perennial along riparian stream. Large yellow flowers with 4 petals & 8 stamens. More info

May 30th, 2009. Even with the unseasonable rains two weeks ago, the desert has continued to dry out with hot sunshine, low humidity, afternoon winds and extreme heat. In the low desert locations such as Shaw Butte, in Phoenix, AZ, virtually nothing was still blooming - except for the ironwood trees with a few wilting lavender blooms. But at higher elevations in the Sonoran Desert where temperatures are slightly cooler some of the most spectacular perennials were blooming. Along the Apache Trail northeast of Mesa Goldenflower Century Plant and Catclaw Acacias were at full flowering.

Wildflowers along the Apache Trail, Arizona

Goldenflower Century Plant

May 30, 2009. Towering stalks with big clumps of golden flowers on lateral side stalks. Long, sharp, succulent leaves. More info
Seaside Petunia
© by Mike Plagens

May 30, 2009. Small, vividly colored petunia growing in damp, saline sand along drying streams. More info
Clammy Weed
© by Mike Plagens

May 30, 2009. White and port-wine colored flowers on sticky, odorous plant growing in sand near water. More info
Thurber's Cotton
© by Mike Plagens

May 30, 2009. Cream-colored flowers with hint of pink on medium sized shrub. More info
Saguaro Cactus
© by Mike Plagens

May 30, 2009. At the highest elevations Saguaros are still blooming! Huge white flowers visited by bats. More info

May 24th, 2009. It is not unusual for the whole month of May to pass without a drop of rain in the Sonoran Desert. This past week, however, saw moderate to heavy rain in parts of the eastern and northern Sonoran Desert. This moisture may revive a few spring flowers that were hanging on in protected spots and prompt summer monsoon plants to initiate growth and flowering. In riparian zones of the higher elevations flowers are still showing. Ironwood trees are just finishing up their show of pastel lavender and pink.

Wildflowers in the Southern Foothils of the Bradshaw Mts., Arizona

Desert Ironwood

May 24, 2009. Abundant lavender, pink and white pea-flowers on thorny, evergreen tree. More info
Snapdragon Bush
© by Mike Plagens

May 24, 2009. Yellow, two-lipped flowers on a woody shrub. Partial shade in mountain foothills. More info
Trailing Four O'Clock
© by Mike Plagens

May 24, 2009. Pink inflorescences (ea. w/ three joined flowers) on sticky-leaved vine trailing along ground. Common. More info
Indian Paintbrush
© by Mike Plagens

May 24, 2009. Long red flowers on stems with hairy-glandular leaves. Upper Sonoran Desert. More info
Abert's Buckwheat
© by Mike Plagens

May 24, 2009. Leafy plant along margins of riparian zones. White and pink flower clusters. More info

May 17th, 2009. It has been months since the last significant rain and now temperatures are frequently surpassing 104°C. in the Sonoran Desert. Annual wildflowers have mostly all gone to seed and dried out, but a few succulent annuals are hanging on in the remaining moist sand along semi-permanent streams. Perennial trees and shrubs on the other hand are now blooming in abundance with ironwood, saguaro cactus and some foothill palo verdes leading the way. Catclaw acacias are also laden with blooms that are very sweet smelling and highly attractive to butterflies and bees. Many of these late spring bloomers will produce seeds that will be viable and ready to germinate with the start of summer monsoon rains. Normally summer rains begin sometime in July. An early shower, like the one that occurred in some eastern portions of the Sonoran Desert today, will trigger germinations that will fail when no more rain and hot temperatures resume.

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Wildflowers in the Riparian Habitat of Mesquite Wash, Four Peaks Mountains, Arizona

Wait-a-Minute Bush

May 17, 2009. Spherical clusters of short-petalled flowers with long, whitish stamens. Paired sharp thorns. More info
Climbing Milkweed

May 17, 2009. Twinning vine with milky sap. Purple-white flowers in umbellate clusters. More info
Paper Flower

May 17, 2009. Yellow composite with rays that dry white and remain as papery frills. More info
Water Speedwell

May 17, 2009. Small, pale blue flowers on succulent plant growing in moist sand along streams. More info
Wire Lettuce

May 17, 2009. Low shrubby plant with numerous, slender, highly-branched, often leafless stems. Has milky sap like its cousin, lettuce. More info
Desert Honeysuckle

Apr 24, 2009. Tubular reddish-orange flowers on woody shrub in partial shade. More info
New Mexico Thistle

Apr 24, 2009. Tall spiny herbs with large, spherical head of lavender florets. More info
Seep Monkey Flower
© by Mike Plagens

Apr 24, 2009. Yellow two-lipped flowers with a kind of face pattern. In moist sandy soil. More info
Dakota Mock Vervain
© by Mike Plagens

Apr. 24, 2009. Capitate clusters of lavender to blue, five-lobed flowers. Butterfly favorite. Common. More info
Rabbitfoot Grass
© by Mike Plagens

Apr. 24, 2009. Soft, fluffy spikes of green grass flowers. Grows along wet streams and sometimes as a weed in well-watered gardens. More info

April 27th, 2009. With triple digit temperatures having arrived in the Sonoran Desert, wildflowers have mostly withered and gone to seed. Trees and shrubs are still blooming with the palo verdes leading the way. Soon saguaro cactus and ironwoods will be flowering in profusion.

Wildflowers in the Estrella Mountains, Arizona

Teddy Bear Cholla

Apr 19, 2009. Green flowers can be quite beautiful on Teddy Bears. More info
Buckhorn Cholla

Apr 19, 2009. Most have yellowish flowers, but other lovely shades are possible. More info
Ocotillo
© by Mike Plagens

Apr 19, 2009. Bright red flowers at ends of long, spiny coachwhip branches. Migrating orioles will take nectar too. More info
Prickly Poppy
© by Mike Plagens

Apr. 19, 2009. Bright white flowers with abundant yellow stamens at center. More info
Blue Palo Verde
© by Mike Plagens

Apr. 19, 2009. Blooming period almost complete. Bean pods developing now. More info

March 28th & 29th, 2009. The wildflower season on the low deserts is definately on the wane. Without significant rain since early February the annuals have mostly dried up. Steve G. found some interesting things in the sand dunes near Yuma, but he had to search carefully. At Dreamy Draw in Phoenix, Arizona the annuals have finished blooming, but good shows of perennials and cacti are on. At the Estrella Mountains the soil is very dry now and again blooming is restricted mostly to perennials and cacti. Buckhorn Cholla and Engelmann Hedgehog were especially colorful.

Wildflowers at Dreamy Draw/Piestewa Peak, Phoenix, Arizona

Brittlebush

Mar 28, 2009. Bright yellow daisies on roadside shrubs with silvery green leaves. More info
Ocotillo
© by Mike Plagens

Mar 28, 2009. Bright red flowers at ends of long, spiny coachwhip branches. More info
Flat-topped Buckwheat
© by Mike Plagens

Mar 28, 2009. Clusters of small pinkish flowers in flat-topped panicles. More info
Buckhorn Cholla
© by Mike Plagens

Mar 28, 2009. Yellowish-green or orange-tinted flowers on cholla cactus. More info
Blue Palo Verde
© by Mike Plagens

Mar 28, 2009. Small trees with green branches and abundant yellow flowers. More info

March 14th & 15th, 2009. On Saturday I hiked South Mountain Park in Phoenix and found that annual wildflowers are mostly well past their peak and mostly going to seed. Most kinds can still be found in shady, protected spots. Cass Blodget found some poppies, but I did not. Perennial shrubs on the other hand are blooming nicely and some of the first brilliant hedgehog cactus have open blooms. Brittle Bush, Golden Eye, Trixis and Fagonia are just some of the many colorful blooming shrubs. Then on Sunday I hiked northeast of Carefree, Arizona and found that despite dry conditions great shows of poppies, phacelias and lupines are present especially in areas burned by the Cave Creek Complex fire. This is one of the ironies of range fires is that the habitat often returns with exuberant abundance and color. Areas along the Seven Springs Road and the Bartlet Dam Road were fully in bloom. This area is generall described on the web page for Rackensack Canyon.

Wildflowers @ South Mountain Park, Phoenix, Arizona

Desert Lavender

Mar 14, 2009. Small lavender flowers on silvery shrub with sagey leaves. More info
Desert Tobacco
© by Mike Plagens

Mar 14, 2009. Clusters of tubular cream flowers on a leafy plant on shady cliff sides. More info
Fagonia
© by Mike Plagens

Mar 14, 2009. Bright purple or lavender flowers on a low prickly shrub. More info
Goldeneye
© by Mike Plagens

Mar 14, 2009. Yellow centered and yellow rayed daisies on shrub with sandpaper leaves. More info
Engelman Hedgehog
© by Mike Plagens

Mar 14, 2009. Intense magenta flowers on smallish, clumped cacti. More info

Wildflowers northeast of Carefree, Arizona

Desert Marigold

Mar 15, 2009. All-yellow daisy-like flower with silky-pubesent leaves on herbaceous perennial. More info
Desert Rock Pea
© by Mike Plagens

Mar 15, 2009. Orange and yellow pea flowers on smallish bush. More info
Lupine
© by Mike Plagens

Mar 15, 2009. Violet-blue pea-flowers on annual with palmate leaves. More info
California Poppy
© by Mike Plagens

Mar 15, 2009. Bright yellow-orange flowers with four large petals. More info
Gilia
© by Mike Plagens

Mar 15, 2009. Small, five-pointed stars just a few inches off ground on slender stems. More info

March 8th, 2009. The Apache Trail out northeast of Mesa, Arizona was ablaze with color: Bright green shrubs; orange, red and yellow lichen-encrusted boulders; towering cliffs of volcanic tuff; and lots of wildflowers. Tops among them were Brittle Bush, bright yellow daisies lining the roadway. Also seen blooming were bluedicks, bladderpods, fiddlenecks, popcorn flower, jojoba, blue fiesta flower and bursages. (Bursages have greenish flowers and go mostly unnoticed, but may be you source of hay fever allergins. If you know you are succeptable you can take anti-allergy meds before your trip). The colors will last weeks more in this area as a succession of trees, shrubs and cacti come into bloom.

March 1st, 2009. The low deserts of western Arizona are at peak blooming now. Brittle Bush blazes brightly along the edges of the Interstate highways and paved roads. On the slopes and flats 1000's of annuals just a few centimeters tall cover every square meter. This is not a banner year in the low deserts, but there is planty to see and explore for the hiker and photographer. With temperatures expected to surpase 32° C the next few days those annuals will go to seed and brown rapidly. The perennials like brittle bush and cacti will continue to please for a month or more. Higher elevations to the east and north of Phoenix and Tucson should be great for wildflowers the next two months.

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Feb. 23th, 2009. Temperatures this week will be much above average in the Sonoran Desert surpassing 30°C in most locations below 1000m elev. As a result flowers will begin blooming and the available moisture will be used at an increasing rate. Many things in the lower elevations are already blooming, but spectacular shows are not yet evident. Many of the annuals seen this past weekend appear small by comparison, so blooms will be fewer and less spectacular. At Pima Canyon near Tucson I found some of the earlier species blooming such as brittlebush, bursage, mustards, fiddlenecks, jojoba, Pholisoma and pellitory.

Wildflowers @ Pima Canyon, Tucson, Arizona

Ragged Rock Flower
© by Mike Plagens

Feb 22, 2009. Fragrant flowers on scraggly bush. More info
Fairy Duster
© by Mike Plagens

Feb 22, 2009. Delicate pink puffs on low bush. More info
Blue Fiesta Flower
© by Laurie Nessel

Feb 22, 2009. Delicate pastel blue on weak scrambling herb. More info
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Orange Fiddleneck
© by Mike Plagens

Feb 22, 2009. Small orange flowers in a scorpioid inflorescence. More info

Feb. 10th, 2009. A series of storm systems with significant moisture began moving into the Sonoran Desert Feb. 6th. This rainfall has been widespread, thus most areas will soon have excellent shows of wildflowers. Rainfall overnight, Feb. 9 thru 10, was heaviest north and east of the Phoenix area. The lowest, warmest areas already have a few diminutive flowers blooming. By early March or even late February many areas will be blooming nicely; depending on elevation blooms should be good through April. If the rain continues we may even have areas with 'banner year' shows.

Following several significant precipitation events in the Sonoran Desert during November and December the month of January was almost entirely dry. Two Pacific storm systems in the closing days of January yielded only minimal rainfall. With mild temperatures the desert mountains greened up significantly, primarily due to the shrubs Triangle-leaf Bursage (Ambrosia deltoidea) and Brittlebush (Encelia farinosa). On the soil surface in many areas diminutive annuals having germinated earlier stood a few centimers tall. Check back here for further updates.

Great Wildflower Websites for North America:

  1. Arches National Park, Utah
  2. Boundary Waters Canoe Area - Northern Minnesota and Southern Manitoba
  3. California Academy of Sciences
  4. Illinois Wildflowers
  1. Missouri Wildflower Guide
  2. New England
  3. Southwest Colorado
  4. Tucson, Arizona
  Google

Copyright Michael J. Plagens, 1999-2010