At Home on Azure Sky: Sonoran Desert Wildflowers #2

It has been a few weeks since I posted photographs of the Sonoran Desert wildflowers Keith and I found in the open desert behind our home. I revisited the wildflower area today, curious to see if any new flowers have bloomed. I also gathered seed from the desert anemones, taking care to leave plenty for the natural area itself. I plan to scatter the collected seed across our lot near areas shaded by mesquites and silverthorn acacia.

Desert zinnia blooms among
strawberry hedgehogs, prickly pear and cholla.

To my delight, the blossoms of several new species nodded in the gusty wind whisking across the area. Parish's larkspur was now in full bloom, shimmering purple sprays rising above the grasses and faded florets of earlier wildflowers. The desert anemone, Arizona jewel flower, lupine, and bladderpod were now producing seed. The area is still awash with lavender scorpion weed and the pink, mimosa-like flowers of fairy duster. Bright yellow bahia and desert zinnia dot the landscape like bright spots on a predominantly brown canvas. I found magenta-spiked hairy prairie clover as a companion to the earlier blooming white downy prairie clover. The yellow disks of California goldfields floated in masses among Spanish needles (an unusual plant and flower that smells like a combination of skunk and pineapple) and Arizona tickseed. The copper flowers of spreading fanpetals made a striking color counterpoint to white desert pincushions. Tiny blue rock gilia twined through clumps of purple-pink awn grass. Photos of some of the other new wildflowers follow.