Spring Wild Flowers in and near McDowell Mountain Regional Park, Arizona. The challenge in taking these photos was that I only had a camera with a zoom lens and it was a breezy day. In essence, I was trying to hold the camera still while zooming in on a moving target… while watching for snakes…

McDowell Mountain Park is located northeast of Phoenix, Arizona in the Sonoran Desert. Elevations in the park rise to 3,000 feet along the western boundary at the base of the McDowell Mountains.

Eschscholzia californica ssp. mexicana – California Poppy or Mexican Gold Poppy
Golden Yellow to Orange – four petal flowers with finely dissected bluish green leaves.

Lupinus sparsiflorus – Coulter’s Lupine
An Annual with violet blue pea-like flowers that spiral – hairy, upright flower spikes. The leaves are green and narrow.

Castilleja exserta – Exserted Indian Paintbrush or Purple Owl’s Clover
An Annual with magenta flowers that have a narrow, hairy, beak-like upper lip and a broader lower lip with 3 yellow-tipped pouches.

Encelia farinosa – Brittlebush
A Perennial, Deciduous shrub with yellow flowers in branched clusters. The leaves are alternate, woolly, grayish in color, and oval to triangle-shaped. Brittlebush is valuable for rehabilitating low maintenance landscapes, critical stabilization areas, and disturbed areas such as those that have been burned.

Lesquerella gordonii – Gordon’s Bladderpod
In rainy years, this spring wildflower can carpet the ground with yellow flowers. The flowers have 4 rounded petals. The leaves are grayish green and covered with fuzzy hair.
If you put the federal government in charge of the Sahara Desert, in 5 years there’d be a shortage of sand.
– Milton Friedman –
Let me tell you something that we Israelis have against Moses. He took us 40 years through the desert in order to bring us to the one spot in the Middle East that has no oil!
– Golda Meir –
I bought a cactus. A week later it died. And I got depressed, because I thought, Damn. I am less nurturing than a desert.
– Demetri Martin –
Beautiful pictures!!! I am soooo envious. Although the weather has warmed up considerably since you were back in Alberta, it is going to be a while before we see any wild flowers blooming!
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It will be even longer before our septic line thaws, I would think…
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Fabulous photos!
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Thanks Dor.
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Absolutely gorgeous! I do miss the desert, and especially so in spring. I appreciate your photos!
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I’m looking forward to the start of cactus bloom season. A few ocotillo have started to bloom (but not mine.) With all the rain and cool weather we’ve had, a bit of sun should really kick the bloom season into high gear.
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Those are beautiful Margy! We are just watching our river flood! Too much snow with rain and melting much to fast.
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Sorry to hear about your river. I expect it isn’t the first time that’s happened and you are one of the smart ones who is prepared for all nature can throw at you!
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We always fill jugs with water when the winter weather gets iffy. Our electric tends to go out then and the well doesn’t work so yes…being prepared is a good thing.
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I really laughed at the quotes at the end!
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There aren’t really all that many quotes about the desert!
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Beautiful! I figured this should be a good year for them, given the wet winter they had.
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Seasons are a bit more imprecise here, aren’t they!? It has been very cool and wet here – then all of a sudden today feels like spring.
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These are wonderful. I enjoyed the beautiful closeups especially. And the quotes 😊😊
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Superb photos, and the quotes tickled my bladderpod!! 😂
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