Wildflowers in the Desert

There is something magical about desert Wildflowers with fierce beauty they continue to blossom every Spring in places you would never imagine. Even with our rain total being less than the average year, wildflowers continue to bloom throughout the Mesa desert landscape until late May. The desert becomes filled with hues of red, purple, orange and blue – all back dropped by Arizona’s lushes green indigenous desert flora. The most common wildflowers can be found at various elevations in our surrounding desert:

Brittlebush, Cactus Blossoms, Chicory, Chuparosa, Fairy Duster, Desert Marigold, Desert Mallow, Lupine, Mexican Gold Poppy

All over the valley both county and state parks will be hosting wildflower hikes, walks, and searches to help locate and identify each flower. Hunt for wildflowers at one of these locations:

Maricopa County Parks

Usery Mountain Regional Park- Offering several nature walks every month, join the rangers at Usery for guided hikes to learn about the blooming wildflowers.

San Tan Mountain Regional Park- Flourishing in flowers San Tan has a host of monthly calendar events which include guided walks through the desert to help identify specific wildflowers.

Arizona State Parks/National Parks

Lost Dutchman State Park- Located at the base of the Superstition Mountains its proximity to the city is alluring and convenient to Spring wildflower admirers.

Tonto National Forest- Ranging over roughly three million acres, the forest landscape varies from pine-forest to saguaro cactus covered desert. In those cacti covered regions you can see the wildflower habitat in full bloom. (Recommended: Crosscut- Treasure Loop, Boyce Thompson Arboretum, Siphon draw Trail 53)

State Parks Wildflower Reports in real time - Click HERE

As a reminder, picking wildflowers is illegal and can have harmful effects on the desert eco-system.