In the American southwestern deserts, winter is the time for monsoons, when much of the precious little rainfall occurs. If the storms are plentiful, it gives promise for a remarkable spring wildflower bloom. Fall rains benefit the woody perennials, while winter and early spring rains benefit the annual forbs, which comprise most desert wildflowers. Just like in the garden, watering those little seeds a month or two before emergence is most valuable.
In the Mojave Desert, there are loads of yellow daisy-like flowers. My botany professor called them damn yellow Asteraceaes – D.Y.A.s. Of course if you’re old-school and learned floral ID before the name changes, you’ll call them D.Y.C.s – damn yellow Compositaes. The professor knew that the majority of his students would not aspire to his level of botanizing, so he gave us a little pass. Beyond knowing the most common yellow-flowered members of this family, trying to tell all those other yellow daisies apart via keys and floral formulas is quite the head-banger. As a naturalist, I can get away with the term DYAs, because the folks I deal with – the general public – will be quite satisfied with that. It’s like birders and their L.B.J.s – little brown jobs, of which there are a lot.
Now hard-core scientists will be aghast at this simplification of their life’s work, and deservedly so. But most nature-lovers are not at this level, and deserve no denigration for it. As someone with ecotherapy training, I know that it is more important for people to make that connection with the elements of nature, rather than just being able to name them. “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” It’s the sensory connection that I’m going for with my audiences.
Working with desert plants over the course of 30-some years in a non-research capacity, I’ve become familiar with a couple of dozen of those yellowish dillies. Even so, since I am retired and a little out of practice, I still consult field guides.
Image credit: Margie Klein
Here are a dozen DYAs that Mojave desert hikers usually see:
1. Desert marigold – very well-known and one of the first to bloom.
2. Brittlebush – loads of blooms on this favorite of the desert tortoise.
3. Desert sunray – produces tall sunflower-like spikes.
4. Broom snakeweed – dense low bush that provides great cover for snakes.
5. Desert Dandelion -similar to the common dandelion but graduating to white toward the edges.
Image credit: Margie Klein
6. Paperflower – forming a loose shrub.
7. Creosote bush – literally, the smell of the desert, especially after the rain.
8. Desert Baccharis – large shrub growing in wet areas.
9. Goldeneye – like a sunflower on a hairy shrub.
10. Cheesebush – a funky-smelling delicacy for the chuckwalla lizard.
11. Pygmycedar – looks like a miniature evergreen tree without the flowers.
12. Rabbitbrush – rows of this tall shrub give a yellow glow to the landscape.
Image credit: Margie Klein
One of the best ways to get to know the more popular species is to carry a camera, field notebook, and field guides, whether hard copies or electronic. I like to notate where, when, and the conditions when I make my sighting, and also take a number of photos. It’s best to see what leaves, flower, and fruit look like, but for many species, it will not be possible to get all of them at the same time. Wildflower viewing etiquette tells us not to pick any part of the flower or plant – leave them for others to enjoy. Also, leave them a chance to propagate. Once you return from your trek, load up your pictures and match them to your notes, then try to match them to the field guides. Be sure to check the range and site conditions for anything you believe to have identified. Consult the “bloom diaries” for comparison to other wildflower enthusiasts’ reportings.
If you’re visiting the desert southwest, try Desert USA Wildflower Blooms [or visit the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum], and remember, peak bloom time is February through March. With some practice, time, and expert confirmation, pretty soon you’ll be able to trust your own IDs. Don’t be too hard on yourself – DYA is perfectly acceptable for the layman. Just enjoy the viewing experience!
Image credit: Margie Klein
This image belongs to the Digital Collection of the Harvard University Herbaria
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Author:
Margie B. Klein has been a freelance writer for over 30 years and a nature-lover all her life. She feels a special kinship with plants and has two degrees in the plant sciences. She has had a long career working in the fields of agriculture, horticulture, forestry, parks, and wildlife. Certified in tourism, environmental education, interpretation, and ecopsychology, she is also accomplished in storytelling and ecotherapy. She is a fellow with the International League of Conservation Writers. At home, she cares for several gardens and over a hundred houseplants.
[We thank Margie for her patience, as her post was mislaid in our Drafts folder!]
Check out Teaching from the Colorado Columbine for a story about plants in alpine habitats.
