Best Places to Spot Desert Wildflowers
By Matthew D. Firestone
Posted March 27, 2008, at 1 p.m.
Few landscapes captivate our imaginations quite like the desert.
At first glance, deserts sweep across the bleak horizon, offering little shelter or shade from inhospitable elements. Upon closer inspection however, the true beauty and mystery of these complex ecosystems slowly comes into focus.
One of the most visible elements of life in the desert is the occasional but dramatic blooming cycles of desert wildflowers. Typically appearing in the spring after the winter rains have subsided, wildflowers blanket the desert sands in a rich multi-colored palette.
Flowering Saguaro cactus in the Sonoran Desert
© Carol Polich. Lonely Planet Images.
Stretching from the Rocky Mountains to the Sierra-Nevada range, the vast North American desert offers countless opportunities to survey these ethereal blooms. Of particular interest are the Sonoran Desert, Joshua Tree National Park and Death Valley.
The Sonoran or Low Desert, which covers large swaths of California, Arizona and Mexico, is one of the hottest and largest deserts in North America. Home to the multi-armed saguaro cactus, as well as countless other unique flora and fauna, the Sonoran is one of America's most iconic landscapes. Although it is regarded as one of the country's top spots for deserts wildflowers, the sheer size and extreme temperatures of the Sonoran Desert deters all but the most passionate viewers.
Wildflowers in the Joshua Tree National Park
© Stephen Saks. Lonely Planet Images.
However, a scenic drive through the Sonoran Desert in search of fuzzy fiddleneck, aptly named catseye flowers, butter-yellow senna and long chutes of chia needn't be an exercise in futility. An excellent resource for the would-be roadtripper is the California Native Plant Society, which provides information on native species, flowering hot spots and viewing tips.
The Mojave or High Desert, which sweeps across large stretches of California, Utah, Nevada and Arizona, is home to Joshua Tree National Park. As its name implies, the national park is famous for its enormous patches of Joshua trees, which reminded early Mormons of Joshua reaching his hands up to the sky to stop the sun by God's command. Reaching heights of nearly fifteen feet, Joshua trees are even more dramatic in the early spring when they give rise to fragrant white blossoms.
Of course, the show-stealing Joshua tree shouldn't distract you from the myriad varieties of wildflowers that dot the deserts of this national park. For information on the best spots to view soft-pink mallows, fragrant fields of lavender, clusters of delicate forget-me-nots and vibrant yellow brittlebush, contact the Joshua Tree National Park Service.
Panamint daisies, Panamint Mountains. Death Valley
© Nicholas Pavloff. Lonely Planet Images.
Death Valley, which lies along the border of California and Nevada, is home to the lowest point in North America at 282 feet below sea level. As its morbid moniker implies, Death Valley ranks amongst the hottest places on the planet, with temperatures reaching as high as 130 F. Although such extremes would seem to deter any kind of sustainable life, Death Valley is surprisingly home to some of the country's most dramatic wildflower blooms.
In 2005, following one of the heaviest winter rainfalls on record, Death Valley erupted in a vibrant frenzy of wildflowers. The normally dry and barren desert plains were flush with lilac bushes, exotic orchids, sticky-purple phacelias and pastel bouquets of verbenas, while rare endemics including the Eureka Dunes evening primrose made their first appearance in years. Although it's difficult to predict whether 2008 will yield an equally impressive display, you can get the latest information by contacting the Death Valley National Park Service.
Whether you're a seasoned wildflower aficionado or a budding novice, don't miss your opportunity this spring to explore some of America's most stunning desert landscapes.
Bio: Matthew Firestone is a trained biological anthropologist and epidemiologist who abandoned a successful career in academia for a life on the road. When not traveling the world for Lonely Planet, home is a shoebox apartment in the urban jungle that is Tokyo.
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