Naturalist View Feb.2010

When February arrives in Arizona I start thinking about spring and start looking and hoping for a spectacular wild flower season. I remember a few years back when, my wife, Jeanne and I drove to Kitt Peak and looked out across the desert at spectacular gold and blue fields of Mexican gold poppy, lupine and owl clover.

The spring flowering season in Arizona spans from mid February to mid June with a peak from March to late April depending on rainfall and temperatures during the growing season. In the warmest areas of the lower desert it is normally a couple of weeks earlier. The winter annuals can create an incredible display, but do so only rarely. Later-blooming species bloom more dependably, but not in the great masses of color. Winter annuals such as lupines, poppies, and owl clover create carpets of color for which the Sonoran desert is so famous. This event may occur between late February and mid April. Annuals are highly dependent on rainfall. The massive and widespread displays may occur only about once a decade, when the winter rains are both earlier and wetter than normal. A good bloom cannot be reliably predicted more than a week before it begins and lasts at peak beauty for no more than a week or two. The local papers usually report when and where the best displays can be found.

Herbaceous perennials and small shrubs such as penstemon, brittlebush, and fairy duster also require rain to bloom but are less sensitive to its timing. They are somewhat more dependable than the annuals, making a good show in about half of the years and peaking in March. These species usually grow as individuals or in small patches and do not create the large masses of color. Nevertheless they are worth looking for and are photogenic to boot.

Cacti, because they store water, are fairly independent of rain. They bloom well nearly every year though wetter years produce more flowers. The greatest diversity of spring-blooming species can be seen in April. The cactus show continues as the abundant prickly pears bloom in early May, followed by saguaros from mid May to mid June.

Mid February we begin to see nesting activity of the Great horned owls and Red tailed hawks. You may have been hearing the owls calling to their mates around 4-5 am since late December and you have probably noticed pairs of hawks circling the skies in January. Like most raptors they mate for life but split up after the young are raised (so that they are not competing for hunting territory) then they seek each other out for the next mating season. Very romantic!