Superbloom? I don’t think so. There’s a lot of talk about a superbloom in Anza Borrego. I have to admit, some of that hype came from me! The reason for all the talk was the rain, 5 inches since January. A lot of rain, and a heavy rain between October and December, is essential for a big bloom. Anza Borrego got the rain.
But rain is not the only factor that controls just how great a flower season will be. Heat and wind are important, too. There IS such a thing as too much heat too soon, and that is what happened at Anza Borrego. It has been HOT! Temperatures have been in the 90s for most of the last 2 weeks. Flowers bolt, going quickly to seed, if the temperatures are high, instead of sticking around for a long, leisurely flower season.
Another way emerging flowers adapt to the heat is dwarfism. Teeny tiny versions of the flower will appear. Instead of wasting time growing into a big plant with full size blooms, the flower forms a miniature version in an attempt to get viable seeds produced before the heat kills the plant. The few Desert Five-Spots I saw in Anza Borrego were following this strategy.
Although not a superbloom, it is still a lovely flower season. Near Borrego Springs, the roadsides are filled with Dune Evening Primrose, Sand Verbena, Brown-Eyed Evening Primrose, Desert Chicory, Desert Gold Poppies and Ajo Lilies. There were even some Beavertail Cactus blooming along Coyote Canyon Road!
As you climb out of the lowest parts of the valley, look for Desert Dandelion and patches of Phacelia. I saw four different kinds of phacelia in the park, and there are probably more.
In slightly higher elevations, such as Butte Pass Road, look for fields and fields of cryptantha and brown-eyed primroses. This area is littered with lilies, too, but sometimes they are hard to spot. Try morning light to see the lilies at their best.
Another great thing about these mid to higher elevations are the bushes. Ocotillo is blooming, the red tips of their branches like tongues of flame licking at the blue sky.
One canyon in particular, Plum Canyon, seemed to be Flowering Bush Canyon Central. Ocotillo, chuparosa, desert lavendar, wild apricot, and others I couldn’t even name crowded the canyon.
Anza Borrego is looking great right now. Don’t wait TOO long, see these flowers before the heat causes them all to bolt. If you can’t make it right away, though, I’ll bet cactus flower season here will be spectacular, too.
Wonder what’s happening in Death Valley? Stay tuned to this blog for an update on Death Valley’s flower situation, coming real soon!
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Friends have invited me to Borrego Springs. To catch this year’s bloom, when should I be there?
There hasn’t been a lot of rain this year, so don’t expect a super bloom. That said, there are always some flowers in the desert in springtime – it may be a year to ponder the perfection of individual blooms instead of being overwhelmed by huge fields of flowers. I would aim for early March to give you a few options as to altitude – if they’re not blooming lower, get up in the hills a little higher! Good luck and happy travels!