California: wildflower timing in Anza-Borrego Desert?

[john_bald]

Every year is different, of course, but I'd like to time my visit to San Diego with a couple of days in the Anza-Borrego

Desert State Park with wildflowers in bloom. I have 3 possible dates: <br>

Mid-February <br>

Week of March 8th <br>

Last week of March </p>

 

<p>Which of these is most likely to be photogenic?

 

<p>Thank you,

<br>John

<br><a href="http://www.johnbald.net/gallery">www.johnbald.net</a>

[2Oceans]

John,

 

I was a regular visitor there but just moved from San Diego after five years in San Diego. Your time frame looks about right but I never met anyone who could predict the week that the flowers would bloom. One thing for certain is the best blooms are by far during years when there are heavy rains. You might try the Anza Borrego Foundation in Borrego Springs. They sponsor allot of activities at Anza Borrego.

 

http://www.theabf.org/

 

February and March are usually a good time for flowers but if blooms are at a minimum this next year then there are often long-eared owls at the Tamarisk grove and or desert big horn in the back of Palm Canyon in the morning. Make sure you bring your long lens in case you get skunked on the wild flowers. Good hunting. VR Andy

[wandern]

It's impossible to really predict bloom dates due to the dependence upon rainfall amount, rainfall timing, and temperature. I'd start checking <a href="http://www.desertusa.com/wildflo/ca_abdsp.html">Desert USA - Anza Borrego (http://www.desertusa.com/wildflo/ca_abdsp.html)</a> as springtime nears, to see if rainfall has been sufficient to support a bloom, and when it may begin and peak.

[garrett_cotham]

Also check out www.calphoto.com. It's a forum for photographers and there will probably be people posting updated info about where the best spots to shoot are.

[greg s]

"Last week of March" << from my recollection this seems about right. Check out Torrey Pines SP also for coastal wildflowers. -g-

[scott_jorgenson1]

I assume you're most interested in Anza-Borrego's famous and spectacular carpet blooms of annuals. Only in

a "good year" are these blooms really stunning. Now, the problem is that the definition of a "good year" is one with

average to above-average, soaking rainfall, starting early in the season (November / December) and continuing

dependably (every few weeks at least) until the peak bloom itself in late winter or early spring (the exact timing at

that point depends more on temperature and sunshine than amount of moisture). This all happens maybe 1 year in 3

(with the really great blooms you see in calendars and coffee-table books happening maybe 1 year in 7 or 8). You

see the problem -- the odds are against you, but predicting a "good year" is highly dependent on weather, and as we

all know, predicting the weather weeks and months into the future is impossible.

 

Wait until late January / early February. If you hear that the first rains have come to Anza-Borrego by

November/December, and have repeated every few weeks since then, with moderate temperatures and average to

above-average rainfall, then chances are good that it will be a good year. In such years, the peak bloom of annuals

tends to fall from late-February to late-March, but can never be called for sure more than a week or two in advance.

Make your plans accordingly.

 

If you hear by late January that no appreciable rain has yet fallen, or that 6 weeks or longer of drought have

happened in the December/January/February timeframe, or that rainfall by February is significantly below average, or

of a long stretch of 90-plus temperatures near the end of the winter -- any of these would be very good indicators that

the year will probably range from "not very good" to "terrible" depending on how many of these conditions pertain and

how extreme they are.

 

If you really must commit to a plan-of-action sooner, you are basically gambling. If it is an El Nino year, the odds

lean in favor of a good year with a good bloom; plan to arrive in late February to mid March (late March is usually too

late for an El Nino year since the mild temperatures start the growing season a little on the early side). If it is a La

Nina year, the odds lean against it being a good year. If neither El Nino or La Nina (which is the case most of the

time), there really is no telling.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Scott

[2Oceans]

John,

 

It is currently raining in Borrego Springs. If this continues for a few days it may be very good for the flowers in a few

months.

 

Andy