An unusual number of wildflowers are currently blooming across California’s deserts, offering visitors a chance to see colorful displays along roadsides and trails. In the Greater Palm Springs area, flowers such as purple sand verbena, yellow brittlebush, and brown-eyed primrose can be seen throughout the Coachella Valley. Mission Creek Preserve in Desert Hot Springs is noted for its fragrant brittlebush and desert lavender. The Indian Canyons in Palm Springs feature Arizona lupine and beavertail prickly-pear cactus, while Andreas Canyon hosts over 150 plant species within a half-mile radius.
Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve is seeing yellow-flowered brittlebush and gold desert dandelions along the Pushwalla Palms trail. In Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, early March is typically peak season for wildflowers. This year’s bloom began ahead of schedule after significant rainfall in November and December. Sand verbena, desert lily, evening primrose, and desert sunflowers have been blooming since January. Although a heat spell affected some blossoms, February rains helped extend the bloom into March.
Visitors to Anza-Borrego are encouraged to download maps before traveling and check current conditions online. Henderson Canyon Road near Borrego Springs has large swaths of purple sand verbena and clusters of primrose visible from the road. S-22 highway offers views of Parish’s poppy and other desert blooms. Those with suitable vehicles can explore Coyote Canyon Road for additional species like apricot mallow and Fremont’s pincushion.
In Joshua Tree National Park, despite temperature swings that included a heavy frost in February, Joshua trees and Mojave yucca have been blooming since January. Lower elevations near Cottonwood and Pinto Basin are good places to spot bladder pod, desert gold, brittlebush, Arizona lupine, and poppies on the Bajada Trail. Flowering will continue at higher elevations through late March.
At Antelope Valley California Poppy State Natural Reserve northeast of Los Angeles, early-blooming poppies have started appearing due to warm January weather. February rains are expected to produce more blooms in March when orange blossoms should cover grassy slopes. The Jane Pinheiro Interpretive Center reopens March 1 alongside the park’s Poppy Hotline.
Death Valley National Park is also experiencing a strong wildflower season this year. According to Death Valley’s wildflower web page: “Low-elevation flowers have started blooming and will likely persist until mid-late March, depending on the weather.” Flowers currently visible include brown-eyed primrose, phacelia, desert gold, Mojave desert star along Highway 190 between Stovepipe Wells and Furnace Creek; sand verbena and five spot on South Badwater Road; among others.
David Blacker of the Death Valley Natural History Association stated: “Death Valley is poised for a better-than-average bloom,” noting that how long it lasts “depends entirely on the weather. We need mild temperatures and mild winds. If we get them, we could have flowers into May.”
Carrizo Plain National Monument east of San Luis Obispo is not technically a desert but shares an early spring bloom period with these regions due to winter rains turning prairies green with hillside daisies, orange poppies, blue phacelia—especially near Caliente Ridge and Selby Campground in the Temblor Range.
Monument manager Johna Hurl commented: “Displays seem to be earlier this year due to the early rains and warm temperatures.” Some monument roads may be impassable following recent rain; visitors should check road conditions before traveling.
Wildflower blooms are expected to continue moving northward through California into higher elevations over coming months.
