Wildflowers of the Death Valley Area

Death Valley in Bloom

One of the things that I look forward to the most in spring along with the warmer temperatures is when wildflowers start to bloom and the desert is carpeted in color. This spring on March 8-10th. professional photographer Karen Linsley and I have designed a Wildflower Photography Workshop in Death Valley where if the conditions are just right the desert will come alive with numerous wildflowers.

Getting ready for the workshop, I have written a three part series on desert wildflowers. This week's post is the conclusion and a preview of many of the wildflowers that grow in the Death Valley area.

In order for there to be a good crop of wildflowers in the spring, weather conditions must be ideal over the fall and winter. Many seeds will lay dormant for 10 to 20 years waiting for the soaking rains that are spaced out to wash away the protective coating and when the days have been warmed by the sun, the seeds will quickly sprout. 

On rare occasions all the wildflowers bloom at the same time, attracting the most bees, butterflies, moths and hummingbirds to pollinate the plants and ensure the cycle of life continues. Most wildflowers will continue to bloom, ending when the dry hot heat returns to the desert, usually during the month of June.

Dune Primrose opens in the early evening and closes by late morning to fill the desert night with its sweet aroma. Growing prolifically in open sandy areas or near sand dunes after abundant winter rain, it may carpet the desert floor with its white flowers. 

Palmer Penstemon's pink flowers growing on tall stalks color the desert landscape in such beauty. Also known as the hummingbird plants, the Penstemon have a most delightful fragrance and are found along desert washes during spring and early summer. Its leaves and stems are covered with a layer of wax to prevent moisture evaporation. 

The Sand Blazing Star accents washes and pebbly slopes in the spring with white flowers that are streaked inside with orange lines which are nectar guides to attract bees inward to the pollen.

Desert Globemallow also known as Desert Hollyhock is a favorite food of the Bighorn Sheep. It fills the slopes and flats with numerous orange blossoms in the spring and will grow through out the summer if there is additional moisture.

Purple Mat, known as a "belly flower" because it grows low to the ground, spreads its mat along sandy areas and has a long growing season when there is ample moisture.

Blue Lupines line the banks and washes in higher elevations with their striking color and will continue to bloom without much moisture.

The sweet scented Desert Four O'Clock open their purple flowers in the afternoon and blossom through the night. Found on stony areas and washes, the Four O'clock is a prolific bloomer lasting during the warm weather months.

Sand Verbena, growing at lower elevations, carpets the desert with pink and white flowers in sandy areas and around dunes when there has been abundant rain in the winter.

Desert Dandelion covers the sandy flat areas with a splendor of yellow in spring, but only when the right combination of temperature and rain occurs.

So in just two days, the Death Valley Wildflower Photography Workshop adventure begins. What a rare treat, to be able to walk among numerous wildflowers of yellow, gold, lavender and fuchsia that may have been waiting up to 20 years to bloom. An artist pallet of color adorns the desolate salt and alluvial fans in the 3.4 million acres of Death Valley National Park. 

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What an exciting and interesting photo-adventure this day has been.  I love it when I am drawn to an area and not knowing what to expect I get treated to new experiences. 

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Photography places me in the moment where I can share that moment in time. It becomes a life story as represented by my interaction with the scene. The happiness and beauty or the sorrow and strife; how I focus leaves a lasting impression that might touch the viewer on a spiritual level.

 "Reflecting Nature's Artistry" 

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