Bloom Reports from the Anza-Borrego Desert: Featured Photographs Vs. Time

Bloom Reports from the Anza-Borrego Desert: Featured Photographs Vs. Time

The Bloom Report Page typically features one or two photographs that are updated roughly once per month. When that page was updated, those photographs were no longer linked online. This page presents those photographs in time order from all years that have bloom pages with photographs. Few photographs are from the peak bloom part of the season since too many things are happening to update the photographs.
All pictures by Tom Chester unless other indicated.
Photographs were added to the Bloom Report Page beginning on 24 February 2009; earlier Pages had no photographs.

Table of Contents

2008-2009
     24 February 2009
     2 March 2009
     7 March 2009
     4 April 2009 2009-2010
     15 November 2009
     1 December 2009
     24 January 2010
     23 February 2010 2010-2011
     17 December 2010
     19 January 2011

2011-2012
     7 November 2011
     6 January 2012
     9 February 2012

2012-2013
     10 October 2012
     2 December 2012
     2 January 2013
     13 January 2013
     5 March 2013
2013-2014
No pix updates

2014-2015
     25 January 2015
     21 February 2015

2008-2009

24 February 2009

Picture of a small field of hairy sand verbena, Abronia villosa; and both the white and yellow versions of brown-eyed primrose, Camissonia claviformis ssp. peirsonii; taken in Coachwhip Canyon on 24 February 2009 at dusk; see also larger version.
2 March 2009

Picture of a field of hairy desert-sunflower, Geraea canescens, along the eastern portion of Henderson Canyon Road, taken on 2 March 2009; see also larger version which shows how patchy this bloom is. This used to be a stunning field of sunflower before the Sahara mustard, Brassica tournefortii, took over this area. See how carpets of flowers have been diminished by the mustard.
7 March 2009

desert 5 spot, Eremalche rotundifolia
bristly langloisia, Langloisia setosissima

Both pictures taken on 7 March 2009 at the base of Coyote Mountain, just north of Henderson Canyon Road and just west of the Pegleg Monument.
4 April 2009

desert woolly-star, Eriastrum eremicum
chia, Salvia columbariae

Both pictures taken on 4 April 2009 in Henderson Canyon.
2009-2010

15 November 2009

punctate rabbitbrush, black-banded rabbitbrush, Chrysothamnus paniculatus
climbing milkweed, Sarcostemma cynanchoides ssp. hartwegii

Both pictures taken on 15 November 2009 in Lower Willows, Coyote Canyon.
1 December 2009

indigo bush, Psorothamnus schottii
trailing four o'clock, Allionia incarnata

Both pictures taken on 1 December 2009 in the Elephant Tree Area just south of Ocotillo Wells.
24 January 2010

California fish-hook cactus, Mammillaria dioica
desert apricot, Prunus fremontii

Both pictures taken on 24 January 2010 in Hellhole Canyon (one canyon south of Borrego Palm Canyon immediately west of Borrego Springs) by Mike Crouse.
23 February 2010

Field of spectacle-pod, Dithyrea californica

Picture taken on 23 February 2010 a few hundred feet past the end of the pavement of DiGiorgio Road, from immediately alongside the road. See also the larger picture showing the evil non-native Asian mustard, Brassica tournefortii, about to put an end to future displays like this here. As recently as 15 years ago, there was no Asian mustard here, and the native wildflower displays were much more extensive.
2010-2011

17 December 2010

yellow-head, Trichoptilium incisum
rush milkweed, Asclepias subulata

Pictures taken on 17 December 2010 along the Villager Peak Trail. The yellow-head flower is larger than life size; it is only ~1 cm (1/2 inch) tall.
19 January 2011

Bigelow's monkeyflower, Mimulus bigelovii
glandular nemacladus, Nemacladus glanduliferus

Pictures of two annual plants taken on 19 January 2011 in Harper Canyon. The Mimulus plant is about the size of your hand; the Nemacladus flower is only a few mm (0.1 inch) across (note the pen tip for scale)
2011-2012

7 November 2011

red-gland spurge, Chamaesyce melanadenia
long-stemmed buckwheat, Eriogonum elongatum var. elongatum

Pictures taken on 7 November 2011 in lowermost Culp Valley along S22.
The Chamaesyce flower is minute, about one tenth the width of your thumbnail, on a plant the size of your hand usually filled with hundreds of such little smiling faces. The Eriogonum plant is 2-3 feet high. S22 in Culp Valley is lined with Eriogonum elongatum plants in bloom.
6 January 2012

wishbone plant, Mirabilis bigelovii var. retrorsa
spearleaf, Matelea parvifolia

Pictures taken on 6 January 2012 on the PCT above Scissors Crossing, in San Felipe Valley north of SR78. The Mirabilis bigelovii flower is the size of your thumbnail. The Matelea parvifolia flower is the size of one fourth of your thumbnail. Those are fingers holding the Matelea flower for the photo.
9 February 2012

narrow-leaved cryptantha, Cryptantha angustifolia
purple mat, Nama demissum

Pictures taken on 9 February 2012 in Bisnaga Alta Wash between the Vallecito and Carrizo Valleys. Both species are often ten times larger in better rainfall years, with many more flowers (note the even smaller cryptantha at the lower left of the picture that will probably have even fewer blooms). Without further rainfall, these are essentially all the flowers these plants are going to produce. Tom walked right by 20 plants of this purple mat that were in bloom without even noticing them.
The cryptantha was found immediately beside S2, which had germination from the extra water that ran off the road. The purple mat was found in only two small spots in a survey of several miles of the wash, in spots where water was probably more plentiful. In poor rainfall years like this, the best place to look for annuals is in such wetter spots.
2012-2013

10 October 2012

desert unicorn-plant, Proboscidea althaeifolia
catchfly prairie-gentian, Eustoma exaltatum

Pictures taken on 10 October 2012. A single plant of desert unicorn-plant, aka yellow-flowered Devil's Claw, Proboscidea althaeifolia, was still in bloom in the Smuggler Canyon area; the rest were entirely in fruit, showing their unripe unicorn fruit and their ripe devil's claws. Six plants of catchfly prairie-gentian, Eustoma exaltatum, were on their last flowers at Agua Caliente County Park. Both flowers are fairly large, about the size of your thumb.
2 December 2012

blackbanded rabbitbrush, Chrysothamnus paniculatus
scale-broom, Lepidospartum squamatum

Pictures taken on 2 December 2012 in Horse Canyon, above the Turkey Track of Upper Coyote Canyon.
2 January 2013

California matchweed, Gutierrezia californica
California trixis, Trixis californica

Pictures taken on 2 January 2013 in Plum Canyon.
13 January 2013

whispering bells, Emmenanthe penduliflora

Photograph of two germination classes of whispering bells, Emmenanthe penduliflora, taken on 11 February 2013 in a wash along the road to Glorietta Canyon. The larger plants on the right germinated from the 13 December 2012 rain, and thus are seen 60 days after that rain event. The smaller plants on the left germinated from the 26 January 2013 rain, and thus are seen 16 days after that rain event.
The inset shows a larger version of one of the younger plants that is actually out of sight to the left of the original picture. The white bars just indicate what its size would be in the original picture by referring to a similar younger plant.
Clearly, it will be a while before these plants start blooming.

5 March 2013

purple mat, Nama demissum
Phacelia minor, wild Canterbury bells; and Emmenanthe penduliflora, whispering bells

Pictures taken on 5 March 2013. Left: Photograph of one of the few plants of Nama demissum, purple mat, from Glorietta Canyon. Right: Photograph of typical small plants of Phacelia minor, wild Canterbury bells; and Emmenanthe penduliflora, whispering bells, from the S22 Roadside at the top of the Montezuma Grade. Note the pen for scale.
2014-2015

25 January 2015

Field of nearly-solid Sahara mustard in February 2010
Field of mostly-native annuals in January 2015

Pictures taken just northeast of the end of the pavement on Di Giorgio Road of approximately the same location.
Left: A field of nearly-solid Sahara mustard, Brassica tournefortii, on 23 February 2010 that had mostly wiped out the native annual display beginning in ~2007.
Right: A field of mostly-native young annuals on 22 January 2015. The previous three years of severe drought in this area (2011-2012, 2012-2013 and 2013-2014) mostly depleted the seed bank of Sahara mustard, allowing us to enjoy a native wildflower display once again here for at least a few years!
21 February 2015

Desert dandelion flowers just south of the ABDSP Visitor Center
Brown-eyed primrose and its pollen on shoe

Pictures taken just south of the ABDSP Visitor Center on 20 February 2015.
Left: A field of desert dandelion, Malacothrix glabrata, immediately south of the Visitor Center Parking lot.
Right: Flower of brown-eyed primrose, Chylismia claviformis ssp. peirsonii, and pollen on a shoe after hiking for a short distance in the area of the Visitor Center.

Go to:

Copyright © 2008-2015 by Tom Chester, Kate Harper, and Mike Crouse.
Commercial rights reserved. Permission is granted to reproduce any or all of this page for individual or non-profit institutional internal use as long as credit is given to us at this source:
http://tchester.org/bd/blooms/featured_pix.html
Comments and feedback: Tom Chester
Updated 21 February 2015

Table of Contents
2008-2009 24 February 2009 2 March 2009 7 March 2009 4 April 2009	2009-2010 15 November 2009 1 December 2009 24 January 2010 23 February 2010	2010-2011 17 December 2010 19 January 2011	2011-2012 7 November 2011 6 January 2012 9 February 2012

2012-2013 10 October 2012 2 December 2012 2 January 2013 13 January 2013 5 March 2013	2013-2014 No pix updates	2014-2015 25 January 2015 21 February 2015

2008-2009
24 February 2009

Picture of a small field of hairy sand verbena, Abronia villosa; and both the white and yellow versions of brown-eyed primrose, Camissonia claviformis ssp. peirsonii; taken in Coachwhip Canyon on 24 February 2009 at dusk; see also larger version.
2 March 2009

Picture of a field of hairy desert-sunflower, Geraea canescens, along the eastern portion of Henderson Canyon Road, taken on 2 March 2009; see also larger version which shows how patchy this bloom is. This used to be a stunning field of sunflower before the Sahara mustard, Brassica tournefortii, took over this area. See how carpets of flowers have been diminished by the mustard.
7 March 2009
desert 5 spot, Eremalche rotundifolia	bristly langloisia, Langloisia setosissima
Both pictures taken on 7 March 2009 at the base of Coyote Mountain, just north of Henderson Canyon Road and just west of the Pegleg Monument.
4 April 2009
desert woolly-star, Eriastrum eremicum	chia, Salvia columbariae
Both pictures taken on 4 April 2009 in Henderson Canyon.
2009-2010
15 November 2009
punctate rabbitbrush, black-banded rabbitbrush, Chrysothamnus paniculatus	climbing milkweed, Sarcostemma cynanchoides ssp. hartwegii
Both pictures taken on 15 November 2009 in Lower Willows, Coyote Canyon.
1 December 2009
indigo bush, Psorothamnus schottii	trailing four o'clock, Allionia incarnata
Both pictures taken on 1 December 2009 in the Elephant Tree Area just south of Ocotillo Wells.
24 January 2010
California fish-hook cactus, Mammillaria dioica	desert apricot, Prunus fremontii
Both pictures taken on 24 January 2010 in Hellhole Canyon (one canyon south of Borrego Palm Canyon immediately west of Borrego Springs) by Mike Crouse.
23 February 2010
Field of spectacle-pod, Dithyrea californica
Picture taken on 23 February 2010 a few hundred feet past the end of the pavement of DiGiorgio Road, from immediately alongside the road. See also the larger picture showing the evil non-native Asian mustard, Brassica tournefortii, about to put an end to future displays like this here. As recently as 15 years ago, there was no Asian mustard here, and the native wildflower displays were much more extensive.
2010-2011
17 December 2010
yellow-head, Trichoptilium incisum	rush milkweed, Asclepias subulata
Pictures taken on 17 December 2010 along the Villager Peak Trail. The yellow-head flower is larger than life size; it is only ~1 cm (1/2 inch) tall.
19 January 2011
Bigelow's monkeyflower, Mimulus bigelovii	glandular nemacladus, Nemacladus glanduliferus
Pictures of two annual plants taken on 19 January 2011 in Harper Canyon. The Mimulus plant is about the size of your hand; the Nemacladus flower is only a few mm (0.1 inch) across (note the pen tip for scale)
2011-2012
7 November 2011
red-gland spurge, Chamaesyce melanadenia	long-stemmed buckwheat, Eriogonum elongatum var. elongatum
Pictures taken on 7 November 2011 in lowermost Culp Valley along S22. The Chamaesyce flower is minute, about one tenth the width of your thumbnail, on a plant the size of your hand usually filled with hundreds of such little smiling faces. The Eriogonum plant is 2-3 feet high. S22 in Culp Valley is lined with Eriogonum elongatum plants in bloom.
6 January 2012
wishbone plant, Mirabilis bigelovii var. retrorsa	spearleaf, Matelea parvifolia
Pictures taken on 6 January 2012 on the PCT above Scissors Crossing, in San Felipe Valley north of SR78. The Mirabilis bigelovii flower is the size of your thumbnail. The Matelea parvifolia flower is the size of one fourth of your thumbnail. Those are fingers holding the Matelea flower for the photo.
9 February 2012
narrow-leaved cryptantha, Cryptantha angustifolia	purple mat, Nama demissum
Pictures taken on 9 February 2012 in Bisnaga Alta Wash between the Vallecito and Carrizo Valleys. Both species are often ten times larger in better rainfall years, with many more flowers (note the even smaller cryptantha at the lower left of the picture that will probably have even fewer blooms). Without further rainfall, these are essentially all the flowers these plants are going to produce. Tom walked right by 20 plants of this purple mat that were in bloom without even noticing them. The cryptantha was found immediately beside S2, which had germination from the extra water that ran off the road. The purple mat was found in only two small spots in a survey of several miles of the wash, in spots where water was probably more plentiful. In poor rainfall years like this, the best place to look for annuals is in such wetter spots.
2012-2013
10 October 2012
desert unicorn-plant, Proboscidea althaeifolia	catchfly prairie-gentian, Eustoma exaltatum
Pictures taken on 10 October 2012. A single plant of desert unicorn-plant, aka yellow-flowered Devil's Claw, Proboscidea althaeifolia, was still in bloom in the Smuggler Canyon area; the rest were entirely in fruit, showing their unripe unicorn fruit and their ripe devil's claws. Six plants of catchfly prairie-gentian, Eustoma exaltatum, were on their last flowers at Agua Caliente County Park. Both flowers are fairly large, about the size of your thumb.
2 December 2012
blackbanded rabbitbrush, Chrysothamnus paniculatus	scale-broom, Lepidospartum squamatum
Pictures taken on 2 December 2012 in Horse Canyon, above the Turkey Track of Upper Coyote Canyon.
2 January 2013
California matchweed, Gutierrezia californica	California trixis, Trixis californica
Pictures taken on 2 January 2013 in Plum Canyon.
13 January 2013
whispering bells, Emmenanthe penduliflora
Photograph of two germination classes of whispering bells, Emmenanthe penduliflora, taken on 11 February 2013 in a wash along the road to Glorietta Canyon. The larger plants on the right germinated from the 13 December 2012 rain, and thus are seen 60 days after that rain event. The smaller plants on the left germinated from the 26 January 2013 rain, and thus are seen 16 days after that rain event. The inset shows a larger version of one of the younger plants that is actually out of sight to the left of the original picture. The white bars just indicate what its size would be in the original picture by referring to a similar younger plant. Clearly, it will be a while before these plants start blooming.
5 March 2013
purple mat, Nama demissum	Phacelia minor, wild Canterbury bells; and Emmenanthe penduliflora, whispering bells
Pictures taken on 5 March 2013. Left: Photograph of one of the few plants of Nama demissum, purple mat, from Glorietta Canyon. Right: Photograph of typical small plants of Phacelia minor, wild Canterbury bells; and Emmenanthe penduliflora, whispering bells, from the S22 Roadside at the top of the Montezuma Grade. Note the pen for scale.
2014-2015
25 January 2015
Field of nearly-solid Sahara mustard in February 2010	Field of mostly-native annuals in January 2015
Pictures taken just northeast of the end of the pavement on Di Giorgio Road of approximately the same location. Left: A field of nearly-solid Sahara mustard, Brassica tournefortii, on 23 February 2010 that had mostly wiped out the native annual display beginning in ~2007. Right: A field of mostly-native young annuals on 22 January 2015. The previous three years of severe drought in this area (2011-2012, 2012-2013 and 2013-2014) mostly depleted the seed bank of Sahara mustard, allowing us to enjoy a native wildflower display once again here for at least a few years!
21 February 2015
Desert dandelion flowers just south of the ABDSP Visitor Center	Brown-eyed primrose and its pollen on shoe
Pictures taken just south of the ABDSP Visitor Center on 20 February 2015. Left: A field of desert dandelion, Malacothrix glabrata, immediately south of the Visitor Center Parking lot. Right: Flower of brown-eyed primrose, Chylismia claviformis ssp. peirsonii, and pollen on a shoe after hiking for a short distance in the area of the Visitor Center.