Where are the Wildflowers Blooming Right Now?
This year was very dry, with very few wildflowers. Some trees and shrubs did have blooms in the late spring. Right now, your best chance to see any wildflowers is to hike up the canyons and at higher elevations.
When is the Best Time to See Wildflowers?
The primary factor that determines a good wildflower year in Anza-Borrego is how much rainfall the desert receives during the winter. A relatively wet winter gives the wildflowers the opportunity to germinate and grow. Another factor include moderate temperatures–not too hot and not too cold. Having a few “dry” years also helps with future blooms because the grass and weeds are not competing with the wildflowers.
Wildflowers usually bloom between late February and early April, typically peaking in mid-March.
February and March are when we usually see the desert sand sand verbena, dune evening primrose and desert sunflowers gracing the meadows IF we had sufficient rainfall in the fall and winter. March and April are when the ocotillos bloom with their brilliant red tips IF we get any rain during that time. April is the month to watch for Palo Verde trees with their bright yellow flowers, indigo bushes with their tiny deep blue flowers and all of the cactus varieties with their flowers. May usually brings us ironwood trees in bloom with their soft pink flowers. June is the month to see desert willows with their pink-to-purple flowers and smoke trees wearing a costume of tiny deep purple blossoms.
Where Can I Usually See Wildflowers?
It all really depends on where the rains fell during the late summer, fall, winter and early spring.
During a good wildflower year, the usual spots are:
- Along Henderson Canyon Road between Borrego Valley Road and Pegleg Road
- The first mile or two along the dirt road leading into Coyote Canyon
- Arroyo Salado campground often has desert lilies
- Borrego Palm Canyon
- Little Surprise Canyon
- Blair Valley
What Wildflowers Will I See?
During a good wildflower year, the most common wildflowers in Anza-Borrego are the desert sand verbena, the dune evening primrose and the desert sunflower. You may also see brown-eyed primrose, Parish’s poppy, Arizona lupine, Fremont pincushion, desert chicory and common phacelia. Most years, you will see bright yellow brittlebush dotting the hillsides and bright-colored blooms on a variety of cacti: beavertail, barrel, cholla, hedgehog and fishhook.
In April, you may see the Palo Verde trees in full bloom with their sunny yellow blossoms. You may also see indigo bushes exploding with tiny deep blue flowers. May may find the ironwood trees blooming with their pale pink blossoms. June is when the normally gray-green wispy smoke trees often go into full bloom with their tiny deep purple flowers.
Need Help Identifying Wildflowers?
ABDNHA offers several great resources to help you identify wildflowers in Anza-Borrego:
- Pick up ABDNHA’s Wildflowers of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park brochure at the Desert Nature Center, 652 Palm Canyon Drive.
- For more in-depth information, pick up a copy of Jim Cornett’s Wildflowers of Anza-Borrego at the Desert Nature Center, 652 Palm Canyon Drive, or order it online.
- Click here to access ABDNHA’s handy online wildflower guide.
