Desert Wildflowers
The desert is finally coming alive with beautiful flowers! I love wildflowers. They are everywhere here in the spring. What you will see in this post are flowers that are blooming right now. I took all these photos within the last week. I apologize for the gross lack of scientific names, but it’s late, and I don’t want to look them up.
Slender Cryptantha, Yellow Cryptantha, and Yellow-eye Cryptantha:
1 Crescent Milkvetch, 2 Rimrock Milkvetches, and a Funnel Lily:
Common Paintbrush in habitat and up close, and 2 views of Western Peppergrass:
A TINY flower that I can’t identify, Dwarf Evening-Primrose, Pale Evening-Primrose, and the first of 5 Cisco Woodyaster:
4 more Cisco Woodyasters. The last one was pink, and of the hundreds we saw today, this was the only pink one. All others a lovely white.
3 Penstemon utahensis (the whole plant, up close, and in habitat), and one Desert Parsley:
2 Prairie Wild Onions, and 2 Rock-Cress:
A forest of Bottle Plants (AKA Desert Trumpets, AKA Eriogonum inflatum), a solo Bottle Plant (well, I guess it has a friend…), and a can in the midst of the forest for scale:
Yes, I know. “Whew“, you’re saying. “That was a PLETHORA of photos“. Enjoy your own area wildflowers!
How lovely! I too like wildflowers. I am very happy that once in a while I have the luck of just the one I want grows in one of my flower beds. Last year it was Queen Anne’s Lace and i am hoping that the tiny plants I see here and there are more for this year but I have Love in the mist growing nearby and those babies look similar. My neighbors think I am crazy as when i mow the lawn I never run over a clump of Buttercups but cut around them. I like buttercups. One thing I have tried and tried to get into my yard is Chicory. I love the blue flowers and thought they would look nice if I could get the queen Anne’s lace and Chicory to grow together as i have seen but no luck yet. Thank you Katie for sharing the flower photos from your area. I always enjoy them.
Thank you, Katie, for naming all of your plants. I can now go to several of my own plant photos and give them IDs. The desert is fabulous this spring! Beautiful flowers; beautiful pictures.
You bring me back to the desert with your beautiful pictures! It’s snowing today in upstate NY…sniff sniff. Thanks for posting, and I hope you are well.
Lorraine – Yes, they are beautiful. We have something that grows here called ‘Desert Chicory’ or something like that, but I am not sure I have ever seen it.
Sonja (AKA ‘mom’) – You’re welcome. I like knowing what things are. That way, it’s easier to know when something is new!
Katie – Hope the snow melts soon! That’s a bummer. I am well, and enjoying the spring!
Thanks for reading, everyone!
Yippee!!! I love the spring desert wildflowers too!!! T^Hanks for sharing your phots Katie.
Peace, Love & Happiness, Magpie
Very nice! It’s amazing the things that can grow out of rocks and dust. One thing I do love about living in the desert…sometimes you have to actually stop and LOOK for the beauty.
Two questions though:
1. Where did you find that GIANT quarter?
2. Where’s that awesome “cattle blossom” you showed me the other day? I think you should include that here. How many people get cows growing (feet up) out of the ground? Hee hee.
Katie,
A wonderful presentation. Your summer is off to a great start. This month has been crazy in my area for blooming darn near everyting. I’m sorting through gigabytes of images,lableing and filing. Oh yea- and loving every minute of it.
Missed you and your Mom this year,
Ed and Linda
Wild flowers are amazing flowers. More amazing than those wimpy things people plant in gardens and flower boxes. Look at those beauties you’re showing us, those guys just pop-up there in a desert, and no one begged ‘em to blossom and be pretty for all to enjoy. Howz that for showing off strenth, determination and good looks? You did it again Katie with your creative camera. Beautiful pictures.
Maggie – You’re welcome…and thank YOU for sharing your knowledge of the local wildflowers! What else is blooming out there right now?
Robyn – Thanks. Answers: 1) I have had the giant quarter for YEARS…I carry it on all my hikes. 2) The cattle blossom smelled so bad, I am afraid of offending people on the internet. The smell may come through.
Ed – I am glad that you are out there enjoying your spring, too. It has been beautiful. We will catch you sometime at the end of the season, maybe, or next spring FOR SURE. Happy Spring!
Uncle Doug – Thanks for the favorable comments on my photos. I liked them. I am glad you enjoyed the Moab wildflowers – even if it was from afar.
Beautiful pics! looked like a beautiful day. You really should have been a PAID photographer!!
Beautiful flowers. I love to walk through a field of wildflowers and smell as many as I can along the path. I even like dandylions-they perk up the lawn and add color.
This is so great — I remember many of these flowers from when I was a kid there, but I didn’t know several of their names. Thank you!