Wild Blooms

Another Wildflower Wander

Earlier this month I took another hike around our property, camera in hand, to see what was in flower.

The chollas took much of my attention, as these brilliant pink blooms are always hard to ignore. The yellow-flowered ones hadn’t opened yet, but the pinks and vermilions were brilliant.

I believe all of these are one or another subspecies of Cylindropuntia imbricata. To be honest, cholla identification has me overwhelmed, so I am guessing at these names, at best. There may be as many as five or six different Cylindropuntia species and subspecies on our two acres alone.

I know that many people would find this difficult to understand, but I am frankly fascinated by these plants. They do take some careful proximity, thanks to those highly effective spines (reverse barbed, apparently) and their capacity to detach and stick to passers-by. But they have their place in the local ecosystem, and many animals and birds find good shelter among their roots and branches.

Besides, they are spectacular in bloom.

But it isn’t all about chollas.

At the same time, the soft, brownish-golden catkins of mesquite (Prosopis velutina) are still blooming in much quieter hues.

.The palo verde trees (Parkinsonia microphylla) have flowered for weeks now. The bees approve mightily.

And while the catclaw acacias (Senegalia greggii) have mostly faded, the whitethorn acacias (Vachellia constricta) have hung out their fabulous little golden spheres. (These were formerly Acacia greggii and A. constricta, respectively.) To my nose, the whitethorn blooms are the most intensely fragrant of our local thornscrub trees. With their scent added to the rest, the air smells rather like a posh perfume counter from my younger years.

Whitethorn is not nearly as floriferous as its catclaw cousin. It blooms later and more sparsely. However, it is also more of an opportunist, with the capacity to set summer bloom unexpectedly during a strong monsoon season. Whenever they arrive, these flowers are always welcome.

And now down to the smallest of wildflowers. There was plenty of chia (Salvia columbariae) flowering in the wash this spring.

It is now setting seed.

Chollas were not the only species of cactus in bloom.

I also enjoyed watching this butterfly on an as-yet unidentified wildflower of the yellow daisy type.

I hope you’ve enjoyed walking around my small patch of blooming desert!

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