Desert Blooms

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This winter we have seen a fair amount of rain. One benefit of the rain is we have enjoyed some beautiful flowers in the desert. Friends that have been coming to the area for years have never seen it so lovely!

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Photos

Ocotillo
This semi-succulent and desert plant is more closely related to tea and blueberries than to cactuses.

Lisianthus
Not sure if I have identified this correctly, but it looks like the photos and similar to the lisianthus I grew in Ohio.

Calliandra eriophylla
Commonly called fairy duster, it is a low spreading shrub native to deserts and arid grasslands.

Super Bloom
These looked like yellow California poppies, but not sure. The hillsides on the way to Oatman, AZ on Route 66 were covered with these lovely deep yellow blooms.

Daisy like flower
Beautiful clumps of these white flowers were around the washes.

Creosote Bush
The plant contains toxic chemicals. The yellow blooms attract a variety of pollinating insects.

Prickly Peat Cactus
Beautiful pink blooms on the prickly pear. This one was near our friends Wanda & Bob's home.

Brittle Bush
Often seen along the highways as they help with erosion.

Fire Barrel Cactus
Not blooms, but the spines of the cactus. Beautiful.

Scorpion Flower
The flower is beautiful, but the leaves can cause a rash like poison ivy.

Sphaeralcea Coccinea
Desert globemallow is a small shrub that grows in the sand

Desert Bluebells
A beautiful drought tolerant plant. These were plentiful in Joshua Tree National Park.

Purple flower
I could not identify this plant, but loved the dusty green leaves and purple flowers.

Comments

[Patti James]

Amazing job on the plant life!
Loved this, Mike and Lois! Thanks for the pics and for the research of names. Super great job.

[Meandering in Milo and Mazie]

Thanks!
We loved the desert flowers, such a surprise!