Thursday, February 21, 2019
The hillsides near Riverside, California, are already carpeted with yellow poppies and the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Death Valley and Joshua Tree National Park have begun seeing flowers spring up. The flowers will paint the desert with vivid colors from sand verbena, desert sunflower, evening primrose, popcorn flowers or desert lilies. The parks are preparing to welcome the thousands of visitors.
Many deserts are soaked which means greater chance for a ‘super bloom,’ especially those areas that received high rainfall totals.
Mark Mendelsohn, a biologist with the National Park Service’s Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, said that the key to a “super bloom” is steady yet not-too-heavy rainfall in desert regions not accustomed to wet weather. Both 2016 and 2017 were record years for wildflowers.
Anza-Borrego State Park is one of the best places to view the bloom. Tourists should get plenty of food and water as there are often no restaurants, gasoline stations or stores near the bloom areas.
Visiting the parks in the week or early in the day, help to beat the crowd. Flower picking should be avoided. Stay updated with weather conditions and plan accordingly. Mobile coverage can be spotty or nonexistent in some parks.
Tags: California, Wildflower bloom
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