Sand Verbena, yesterday in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California.
These are the first wildflower blooms of the season in a year that should soon have a bountiful display of flowers! Don’t rush down here yet, they are still a couple of weeks out – I found this little spot a few years ago, and it is always the first area to bloom around here, and this year is no exception.
This is looking like it will be a great year for wildflowers as this region has seen lots of rain! The nearby Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area had the wettest month in recorded history this past January. The local wildflower experts were saying the final ingredient for an excellent wildflower year would be February rains – well we received a fair amount of rain Tuesday night – the second such storm this month. So in short, it is safe to say this will be an excellent year for desert wildflowers! The only thing that could get in the way now would be the over growth of an invasive species like mustard.
Despite the rain and the predictions, I had to see for myself – and of course do a little photography. 
Well things are very green! Lots of shoots just starting to rise in many places – thick patches of Lupine and Desert Gold were the most obvious, but there is a wide variety of plant-life that just further confirms my anticipation.
I believe the desert wildflower bloom won’t be limited to Anza-Borrego, the hills North of Palm Springs are also very green. I went for a run in the back-country East of Joshua Tree and had to deal with a number of small stream crossings – in places I have never seen water flowing before. It is pretty exciting.
We will be based in Borrego Springs for the next month or so, but I hope to chase the bloom around the area as it progresses, and will provide updates here on the photo blog. The California Wildflower Hotsheet, along with its corresponding Yahoo forum is another great resource for wildflower updates during a good year like this one.
Finally, this might be a good time to mention that I only have two spots left for my two Anza-Borrego photography workshops.
This photo: Canon 1Ds III, 100 macro lens with 25mm extension tube, f/25 at 1/25 a second.
{ 1 trackback }
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Pretty flowers and capture Ron
Very nice. I hope I can get out there in a few weeks.
Great picture Ron.
I am heading out Saturday. We are going to be around Mortero Canyon
Hoping to see some flowers down at that end.
Bob
Thanks everyone!
Thanks Dennis.
Derek – sounds like your timing might be perfect!
Bob – The weather should be perfect this weekend – I really need to get down to that end one of these days! Have fun.
That shade of purple is incredible!
I’m definitely looking forward to following your updates over the next month.
Thanks Greg – some pretty good riding out here for winter!
Hey Ron,
Not much blooming down at the southern end yet besides the Ocotillo and the occasional Chuparosa bush.
We did see a Desert Apricot bush in bloom which I have never noticed before.
We will try again in a few weeks.
Bob
Hi Bob,
Borrego Springs area is about the same, except for the Desert Apricot. Chuparosa and Ocotillo are the main things blooming right now, with lots of green, and a number of tiny flowers that I haven’t tried to identify. It should be good in a couple of weeks.
Ron