California's desert wildflowers are putting on a show, though not a superbloom

Death Valley and several Southern California desert parks have strong, concentrated wildflower displays this spring, described by rangers as the best in a decade but not a regional 'superbloom.' Low-elevation blooms are already fading in places and are expected to persist until mid to late March, with higher-elevation displays likely from April through June.

California's desert landscapes are blooming this spring with strong wildflower displays across Southern California. Rangers and the National Park Service describe Death Valley National Park as having its most outstanding bloom year in a decade, the best since 2016. Botanist Naomi Fraga said the season falls short of a "superbloom," a term usually reserved for flowers stretching across hundreds of thousands of acres, but called this year's concentrated displays extraordinary. Recent January rainfall and mild winter temperatures triggered dormant seeds to sprout, while recent winds and warm weather have already begun to shorten the displays and low-elevation blooms may persist only until mid to late March. Where blooms are visible now: - Death Valley National Park: several hillsides along Badwater Road still show good blooms, with species such as desert gold, brown-eyed primrose, sand verbena and five spot; gravel ghost, phacelia and Mojave desert star appear along Highway 190. - Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve: scattered poppies, goldfields and other wildflowers are in bloom, though some areas are already going to seed and displays are smaller than a superbloom. - Anza-Borrego Desert State Park: lower canyons are past peak but upper canyons and higher elevations are still flowering through March, including chupa rosa and brittlebush. - Red Rock Canyon State Park: early coreopsis are appearing near the western entrance, and a guided wildflower hike is planned in the Red Cliffs and Hagen Canyon areas. - Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park: an unusually early bloom of Joshua trees and Dorr's sage is underway, with additional flowers expected later in March. - Carrizo Plain National Monument: wildflowers continue across the monument after early winter rains, concentrated on the Temblor Range with yellows and splashes of orange. Summary: The current displays are strong but localized rather than a region-wide superbloom, with Death Valley singled out as an unusually good year for the park since 2016. Duration and further development depend on weather; low-elevation blooms are expected to wane by mid to late March while higher-elevation blooms may occur from April through June.