2016 Death Valley Wildflowers in Higher Elevations

 

Part 3, Highlighting the Super Bloom North of Furnace Creek

Death Valley harbors one of the most extreme environments on planet Earth, however when the conditions are just right, nature thrives.  Thus was the case this February in 2016 when El Niño brought enough rain and at the best time for numerous wildflower seeds that have been lying dormant for years to germinate and produce a Super Bloom.  I was fortunate to travel to Death Valley during this rare event for a photo shoot of the wildflowers.  On Part 1 of my Blog Post, I highlighted the various locations where the flowers were blooming from the Badwater Road to the Beatty Cut-off Road.  In Part 2, I focused on the individual flowers that were in bloom in the southern part of Death Valley National Park.  

 In Part 3 of my Death Valley Wildflower Super Bloom blog post, I will focus on a number of flowers that I found in the higher elevations.  

Death Valley has elevations reaching from the lowest extremes at Badwater Basin, 279 feet (85 m) below sea level, to  Mount Whitney which rises to 14,505 feet (4,421 m) in altitude.  During my photo-explorations for the wildflowers at the higher elevations, I only reached heights between 1,000 feet (304.8) and 4,950 feet (1,510 m) above sea level.

After departing the Furnace Creek area and the fields of Desert Gold that Death Valley is famous for, I traveled up Highway 190 to where the bright colors of Golden Evening Primrose began to accent the roadside. 

  Golden Evening Primrose (Camissonia brevipes) is also known as the Easter egg flower with its bright yellow cups.  Blooming in early spring, its delicate fragrance adds a gentle touch to the harsh environment. 

 

Like with an artist's palette of color, lavender and purples of Caltha-Leaved Phacelia (Phacelia calthiflora) grow along with the Golden Evening Primrose.

  A member of the Boraginaceae family these bell shaped flowers grow in the mid-range altitudes but below 3281 feet (1,000 m). 

 The beauty of the Caltha-Leaved Phacelia must be enjoyed from a distance, because as with the Notchleaf Phacelia (Phacelia crenulata) contact with the hairs may result in a skin rash similar to poison ivy.  

Trekking back through a wash reveals delicate, tiny white flowers of Cryptantha. 

 This plant is related to the "Forget-Me-Not" in the Boraginaceae family and also known as the Popcorn flower due to the flowers growing in clusters like the popcorn snack. 

Sheltered by rocky depressions in the wash are a number of Desert Five-Spot flowers in various stages of opening. 

 Growing below 4,000 feet (1219.2 m), the flower petals are only open in the afternoon and close at night. 

 A member of the Mallow family, Malvaceae, this flower is also known as the Lantern Flower, for how it resembles a glowing lantern when light passes through its delicate petals.  

Growing conditions for the 2016 wildflower season were just perfect for the Lesser Mohavea (Mohavea breviflora) to thrive.

 Usually considered a "belly flower" since it grows so close to the ground, many of these plants were growing like small bushes.  The Lesser Mohavea is also known as the golden desert snap-dragon. 

  

Much to my delight among all the 20 different species of wildflowers that were in bloom, some Creosote Bushes were just starting to flower.  Five petal yellow flowers and small fuzzy seeds make this bush stand out against the Mojave Desert landscape. Also known as Greasewood, this plant may live from 30 to 90 years of age.

My timing was just about perfect for the 2016 Super Bloom and catching as many different flower plants as I did.  I have since learned that rising temperatures and a vicious wind storm have taken their toll on many of the wildflowers that I was able to photograph.  Most of the remaining wildflowers are found in the higher elevations or in sheltered canyons.  What a thrill to be out in a huge natural garden enjoying the fragrance and colors in one of the most inhospitable places on the globe. Follow my Blog and check back often to see where my next photo-adventure will take me.   

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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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