Here's a report from the low desert of Arizona, around Yuma. Does anyone know what the "seldom seen purple dune lily" might be? --Lee Poulsen Pasadena area, California, USDA Zone 9-10 Begin forwarded message: > Date: February 15, 2005 11:40:05 AM PST > Subject: Fwd: FW: Places to see Wildflower blooms > > Hi, Lee: > > A friend sent me this. It might help your German friend figure out > when and where to go, if he wants to go to Arizona. > > > In a message dated 2/15/05 7:11:46 AM, Crife@WestlandResources.com > writes: > > M > Responding to your forward of the website; the following message was > sent > 'round last week. I haven't made it out of town yet (too flippin' > busy at > work) but things are definitely shaping up here in town, even. Could > be > spectular this year. > Hope all is well. > C > > >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Dan Ginter >> Sent: Friday, February 11, 2005 12:31 PM >> To: All Employees >> Subject: Places to see Wildflower blooms >> >> I thought I would pass this on..... >> Don't miss the wildflower blooms: the show has started in the low >> deserts >> You won't have to ask "where have all the flowers gone" this spring: >> the >> wildflower show is expected to be spectacular in Arizona. In fact, it >> has >> already started in the lower deserts around Yuma and early blooms can >> typically be found in places such as Queen Creek Canyon just east of >> Phoenix. >> Lin Piest, an Arizona Game and Fish Department biologist stationed in >> the >> Yuma area, says there are a lot of sand verbena and primrose blooming >> in >> sandy areas around Yuma now. >> "The best areas are on the Yuma Mesa on the south and east edges of >> the >> city, and south towards San Luis. In the foothill areas of the Gila >> Mountains, there is a lot of blooming brittlebush, lupine, and >> scorpionweed. About 10 days ago, there were poppies beginning to >> bloom in >> the Kofa Mountains," Piest says. >> >> Randy Babb, a Game and Fish Department biologist based in the Mesa >> region, >> says the wildflower bloom in central and southeastern Arizona will >> likely >> peak in late February to early March. This green-up is key to bringing >> many species of wildlife into breeding condition. "Deer, bighorn >> sheep, >> and elk rely on winter annuals to put on the fat they will need to >> produce >> offspring. The annuals also provide the nutrition the young animals >> need >> for the first few months of their lives," says Babb. >> The green-up also provides another species, homo sapiens, with the >> opportunity for some colorful adventures. "In late February as the >> soil >> and air temperatures heat up, the winter annuals undergo an impressive >> growth spurt, sometimes more than doubling or even tripling their >> size in >> a matter of weeks. By early to mid-March, the Sonoran Desert will be a >> riot of color-every nature enthusiast's dream," says Babb in an >> article >> soon to appear in the March-April edition of "Arizona Wildlife Views >> <http://www.gf.state.az.us/i_e/awv_magazine.shtml>" magazine, which is >> produced by the Game and Fish Department. >> Babb says flower species that have long lain dormant will show >> blossoms of >> every conceivable color. "Plants can be found that may not have been >> seen >> for a decade. Every trip afield brings unparalleled joy brought on by >> the >> olfactory and visual delights of nature combined with unbelievable >> frustration at not being able to recall the names of things so seldom >> encountered-causing a condition known as naturalist's schizophrenia," >> Babb >> says. >> The sandy country of western Arizona from Parker to Yuma will furnish >> excellent viewing opportunities for primrose and verbena. Wildflowers >> to >> enjoy in sand-dune country include ajo lilies and wild sunflowers, as >> well >> as the seldom seen purple dune lily and sand food. >> The rocky valleys, foothills, and mountain slopes of western, >> central, and >> southern Arizona will supply an entirely different set of offerings. >> Babb >> says that wildflower watchers might encounter hordes of migrating >> hummingbirds careening recklessly through rocky canyons choked with >> scarlet-flowered justica. "Indigo and white larkspur blooms will >> likely >> emerge just above the wash bottoms. Vast fields of >> butterscotch-colored >> poppies will cover mountain slopes and basins, punctuated by splashes >> of >> owl-clover pink and lupine blue. Two kinds of hibiscus blossom among >> the >> rocks, one with pale yellow flowers and the other with delicate >> purple, >> along with diminutive white rock daisies. With a little good fortune, >> a >> wildflower watcher might encounter stunning orange mariposa lilies or >> pale >> purple sego lilies nestled among the competition," Babb says. >> Consider a visit to recently burned desert areas. "These spots can be >> particularly productive, as the nutrients released by the fire and >> lack of >> competition provide perfect conditions for winter annuals," says Babb. >> According to Paul Wolterbeek at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum >> <http://arboretum.ag.arizona.edu/>near Globe, people can expect to >> find >> good wildflower displays this year within an easy one-hour or less >> drive >> from Phoenix and Tucson. He says that because the arboretum >> collections >> benefit from regular irrigation and a healthy stock of both perennial >> and >> annual species, the wildflower displays can be spectacular for a wide >> range of flowers, such as phacelia, yellow scorpionweed, purple >> bladderpod, blue dicks, firecracker penstemon, lupines, poppies and >> globe >> mallow. >> Wolterbek also has tips for people looking for wildflower drives. >> "Poppies >> are almost always strong near Florence Junction on Highway 60 from >> late >> February through March," he says, adding that pink and white variants >> of >> globe mallow can be seen along Highway 79 from Florence. >> Another area to consider is Queen Creek Canyon, where deer vetch, >> penstemons and tree tobacco sometimes bloom as early as late January. >> Wolterbek advises that those driving east on Highway 60 from late >> February >> through April are likely to see Mexican gold poppies, lupine and >> phacelia >> at Florence Junction, possibly near mile marker 209. Species such as >> fairy >> duster, desert marigold, globe mallow and golden brittlebrush become >> more >> prominent as the road gains elevation and as you ascent up and through >> Gonzales Pass (mile markers 219-218). >> Driving west on Highway 60, expect to find flowering mazanita >> producing >> pink and white blossoms along the roadsides west of Miami. "As you >> gain >> elevation toward the Top-of-the-World community and then past the Oak >> Flat >> Campground, look for native manzanita chaparral mixed with fragrant >> Ceanothus (buck brush) and fluffy white blossoms that can resemble a >> mantle of snow covering the plants," says Wolterbek. >> As the road descends into Queen Creek Canyon and you approach the >> tunnel, >> says Wolterbek, stay alert for bright patches of firecracker >> penstemon and >> deer vetch (yellow and red) on the north side of the road at the base >> of >> the cliffs. "Look for the waterfall just east of the Queen Creek >> Tunnel. >> Spring rains can leave that wonderful flume splashing for weeks near >> mile >> marker 229." >> For the more regimented wildflower watcher, a good identification >> book is >> essential. "Be advised, however, any identification book is merely a >> compromise and sure to omit the one flower you simply must identify. >> That >> is why many of us become beasts of burden on our forays, toting every >> book >> that might conceivably have something we are looking for. I envy >> those who >> enjoy the show merely for the delight it brings to eye and soul," says >> Babb. >> >> >>