Bloom Reports from the Anza-Borrego Desert: 2012-2013

blackbanded rabbitbrush, Chrysothamnus paniculatus
Photograph of flower of Chrysothamnus paniculatus
scale-broom, Lepidospartum squamatum
Photograph of flower of Lepidospartum squamatum
Pictures taken on 2 December 2012 in Horse Canyon, above the Turkey Track of Upper Coyote Canyon.

See also Pictures shown here on prior dates.


See Bloom Reports from the Anza-Borrego Desert for an introduction to this page, extensive general information (not specific to this year) about Annual Germination, Growth and Blooms, including what influences the duration and extent of the annual bloom, photo galleries, and links to other webpages giving information on Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Blooms.


Summary of Annual Germination, Growth and Blooms in 2012-2013

The 2012 summer monsoon was very active in the entire desert, and germinated monsoonal annuals nearly everywhere. However, the continuous 100° plus heat every single day in August and September 2012 ended the monsoonal bloom by the end of October 2012.

We are back to the expected flowers few until we get significant winter rain. As of 22 December 2012, the desert has only received 0.2 to 0.3 inches of rain since 1 September 2012, which isn't enough to germinate annuals except possibly along roadsides and other places with similar runoff.

Normally, annual germination doesn't occur until late December or early January, so there is no need to panic about the desert season this year, at least yet.

We have observed only scanty annual germination in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park so far, at its westernmost edge in the San Felipe Valley, of some non-native redstem filaree, Erodium cicutarium, and a few prickly poppies, Argemone munita, on 21 December 2012. Mike Crouse found a small amount of annual germination in a few places in washes in the Ocotillo / El Centro area in Imperial County on 18 December 2012.

See also:

Predictions for This Year

It is far too early to make any predictions for this year, other than to note that the monsoonal rainfall received nearly everywhere in the desert from late July to late September 2012 has given the perennials, shrubs and trees a good start. Winter annuals, after they germinate from a winter rain, may benefit as well from stored moisture in the soil from the summer rains (where that moisture hasn't already been tapped by other roots).


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Copyright © 2008-2012 by Tom Chester, Kate Harper, and Mike Crouse.
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Comments and feedback: Tom Chester
Updated 24 December 2012