Sonoran Desert Wildflowers

Keith and I have been here for three years now and my love for this place continues to grow.  Spring is only days away and the weather has been beautiful.  Fall and winter rains were ample enough to coax wildflowers out of their dormancy.  During the time we've lived in the Sonoran Desert, I have never seen the wildflowers as bountiful as they are right now.  I counted 17 species yesterday when I explored an area only a few feet from our home.  Expanses of yellow and purple flowers were fairly easy to see, but when we looked closer, we found several other jewels nestled amongst them.  Keith took some photos.  This should give you an idea of the diversity of floral gems offered by the Sonoran Desert when it has gotten just the right amount of rainfall.  All of these photos were taken 3/14/12 within several feet of our home.

Pinstalk Scorpion Weed (Phacelia pedicellata)
Despite its scary name, it's pretty and in the bluebell family.  It can stain your hands if you handle it.

Desert Anemone (Anemone tuberosa var. tuberosa)
Can you believe there are anemones in the Sonoran Desert?  We were lucky to see these;
they are early bloomers and do not last very long.

Paleflower Skyrocket (Ipomopsis longiflora ssp. australis)
The photo doesn't show it, but these 3/4 inch flowers are very long trumpets

Mount Lemmon Marigold (Tagetes lemmonii)
These are just starting to bloom.

Silverleaf Bahia (Bahia absinthifolia)
This cheerful plant blooms year-round and is abundant.

Desert Lupine (Lupinus sparsiflorus)
Various species of lupine grow in our area.

Fairy Duster (Calliandra eriophylla)
The flowers remind me of those on a mimosa tree.  Fairy Duster sometimes blooms in spring and fall.  Hybrids are grown as ornamentals.

Downy Prairie Clover (Dalea neomexicana)
I love these fuzzy flowers.

Parish's Larkspur (Delphinium parishii)
I was really surprised to find delphinium in the desert.
 Ranchers hate this plant because it is so toxic to cattle.
 Luckily, no cattle graze where we found this beauty.

Blue Dicks (Eremalche rotundifolia)
These are the Sonoran Desert's answer to wild hyacinths. Native Americans once dug and ate the bulbs of these flowers.

Blue Dicks with Arizona Jewel Flower (Streptanthus carinatus ssp. arizonicus) in the background.

Gordon's Bladderpod (Lesquerella gordonii)
We found extensive areas of this flower.

Five-Needle Prickly Leaf (Thymophylla pentachaeta)
These are in the sunflower family but are diminuitive with flower heads only 1/4" to 1/2".

Panamint Cat's Eye (Cryptantha angustifolia)
Another tiny flower that would be easy to overlook.

White Tackstem (Calycoseris wrightii)
Another member of the sunflower family.  The flower heads are 1-1 1/2" and the plants are about 3 feet tall.