It’s been said that flowers feed the soul. In fact, research suggests that flowers have the power to elevate our mood, lower our blood pressure and generally give us a better outlook on life. Lucky for us, every spring and early summer the Sonoran Desert landscape is decorated with cactus, plant and wildflowers in a rainbow of vibrant shades. Botanist Janice Bowers, who has studied wildflowers for 30 years, knows their colors well. According to Bowers, 33 percent of the desert species have yellow flowers, 29 percent white, 17 percent purple or lavender, 11 percent pink or red, 7 percent blue and 3 percent orange (Arizona Highways, March 2006).

In honor of flowers, let’s tackle a couple of floral-inspired questions, starting with this from Sandy G. of New York City:

What’s the best time of year to see wildflowers in the desert?

Late February and March are the best months for wildflower viewing in the Sonoran Desert. This year, however, we’ve experienced an unusually dry winter, recording our last measurable rainfall on October 18, 2005. This is great news for sunbathers, golfers and other outdoor enthusiasts, but not so good for wildflowers, which rely on winter moisture to trigger their growth and subsequent bloom. Will there be any wildflowers this spring? Yes, there will be some – you just need to know where to look!

If you want to get out into the desert and explore, your best local options are theMcDowell Sonoran Preserve and Pinnacle Peak Park in north Scottsdale, McDowell Mountain Regional Park just east of Scottsdale in Fountain Hills and Lost Dutchman State Park, which is about 40 minutes east of Scottsdale near the town of Apache Junction. If you’re looking for something a little less rugged, the Desert Botanical Garden just west of Scottsdale is a fabulous plant preserve that simulates and maintains the natural conditions that produce spring desert wildflowers along designated pathways. While some years may prove more remarkable than others, the Garden promises glorious flora even when Mother Nature cannot.

Speaking of flowers, Kristin V. of Philadelphia was wondering:

What’s the famous desert flower that only blooms at night?

The desert night-blooming cereus (Peniocereus greggi), also known as the queen-of-the-night, produces fragrant white flowers between late May and early July. One of the Sonoran Desert’s most well-known yet least encountered plants, these gray, stick-like stems grow to about three feet tall, surviving under the protection of host plants such as creosote and mesquite. In the spring the plant sprouts buds, and on one summer night, the buds burst open into stunning silky white flowers. Each flower opens for only one night and closes with the morning sun. While open, their fragrance fills the desert air and attracts night-flying pollinators such as sphinx and hawk moths. In fact, the flowers’ fragrance is desirable to humans too, so much so that a Scottsdale company, Once in a Bloom Fragrances, has created a line of Desert Queen perfume and body products that replicates the scent of this rare desert beauty.

Tags: Cactus, Flowers, Lost Dutchman State Park, McDowell Sonoran Preserve, Pinnacle Peak Park, Sonoran Desert, Sonoran Explorin'

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