Saturday, April 9, 2016

Anza Borrego Hellhole Canyon March 16th 2016



Anza Borrego Desert - Hellhole Canyon March 16th 2016

A quick trip to Anza Borrego Desert revealed wildflowers, but in a midget version. Apparently the copius rains of January encourgaged an early bloom that was stifled by the prolonged warm and dry period in February. Remaining wildflower seeds got some additional rain, and that was enough for the seeds to germinate and to send up an emergency, abbreviated, and miniature version of the normal plants we see. These were "belly flowers" seen and appreciated when in a prone position. The more impressive blooms of desert shrubs and cactus eclipsed the tiny jewelbox blooms of the wildflowers, but it was good to see it all.

I visited Hellhole Canyon, and later, the Visitor's Center.
Hellhole Canyon
Mimulus bigelovii
Hellhole Canyon
Loeseliastrum matthewsii
Malacothrix californica
Fagonia laevis
Monoptilon bellioides
Hellhole Canyon
Allionia incarnata
Lupinus arizonicus
Eschscholzia minutiflora
Encelia farinosa
Rafinesquia californica
Emmenanthe penduliflora
Justicia californica
Ferocactus cylindraceous
Ferocactus cylindraceus
Lupinus concinnus?
Krameria bicolor
Mohavea confertiflora
Phacelia species
Cryptantha possibly C. barbigera?
Chaenactis fremontii



Hyptis emoryi
Psorothamnus schottii
Anza Borrego Visitor's Center

Opuntia basilaris
Parkinsonia florida

Chylisma claviformis

Loeseliastrum schottii

Cylindropuntia wolfii and Encelia farinosa

Fouquieria splendens

Trixis californica

Opuntia basilaris

Opuntia basilaris and Echinocereus engelmannii

Abronia villosa

Geraea canescens

Oenothera deltoides
Cylindropuntia bigelovii

Ricardo Breceda Sculptures in Borrego Springs
Ricardo Breceda Sculptures in Borrego Springs

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Death Valley Super Bloom 2016

Death Valley Super Bloom Feb. 23rd 2016

At the spur of the moment I drove up to Death Valley to see this "super bloom" everyone is talking about. It was pretty dark when I got up there and was able to primitive camp off the main road in Titus Canyon. Strong winds made setting up the tent an interesting experience!
Death Valley normally gets around 2.4 inches of rain a year, but a 1,000-year storm in October brought 3 inches of rain in five hours! Two additional storms in the fall set up conditions for an especially floriferous season. I live five hours away and I thought, "what the heck!" and drove up. I have identified the plants to the best of my ability with a little assistance from my friends at the California Native Plant Society.
Road closures from flood damage necessitated coming in from the east. I drove up and camped in Titus Canyon. The next day, bright and early, I drove down Badwater Road down south to Ashford Mill because reports said I would find wildflowers there. Stops along the way found wildflower treasures.
Camissonia claviformis

Eriogonum inflatum - Love those stems!

Cryptantha angustifolia (Mike Simpson's help)

Mystery?

Psathyrotes ramosissima

Phacelia crenulata

Atrichoseris platyphylla - commonly called "Gravel Ghost" for obvious reasons

Nama demissum

Atrichoseris platyphylla


Phacelia calthifolia

Monoptilon bellidiforme

Atrichoseris platyphylla




Further south on Badwater Road are the ruins of Ashford Mill. This is where I saw fields of Geraea canescens as far as the eye could see!
Geraea canescens
Geraea canescens

Abronia villosa

Abronia villosa

Eremalche rotundifolia - This is the flower I wanted to see!

Geraea canescens

I carefully tiptoed around flowers to get this shot
Wow! Superbloom!

I hoped you have enjoyed this little snapshot of the Death Valley Superbloom.