When Tucsonans think of dazzling desert wildflowers, the month of September does not pop immediately to mind.
Let it pop.
Our big bodacious bloom might come in the spring - but monsoon rains have nurtured a lovely, if limited, crop of brilliant wildflowers this month.
The showy superstar of the season is the summer poppy, also known as the caltrop.
"It's great to have some wildflower color in the summer," said Russ Buhrow, curator of plants at Tohono Chul Park. "Sometimes you'll see just a small patch of summer poppies, but they can bloom in extensive vistas when conditions are right."
SUMMER POPPY PRIMER
Mark Dimmitt, director of natural history at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, and Buhrow provided a brief bloom bio.
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Summer poppies are:
• Annual wildflowers.
• Bright orange to pale orange or golden yellow.
• Related to the creosote bush and puncture vine.
• Seen in desert areas only after soaking summer rains, because they require a few weeks of wet soil to germinate and bloom.
FIND SOME FLOWERS
Spotting summer poppies in the desert sometimes can be a challenge because they often grow along washes or off the sides of roads.
One place to see a small but bright display is on either side of Gates Pass Road about a quarter-mile east of Kinney Road. The site is west of Tucson, on the west side of Gates Pass.
More lavish displays can be seen along the road leading into Madera Canyon south of Tucson.
"There's a nice, widespread bloom along the road in the area between mileposts 5 and 7," said Luis Calvo, owner of the Chuparosa Bed and Breakfast in the canyon.
To get to the area, take Interstate 19 south to Green Valley, get off at the Continental exit and drive southeast to the canyon road.
MORE SUMMER BLOOMS
Other plants blooming now on the desert include:
• Globe mallow, with flowers in hues of orange.
• Several kinds of small yellow flowers.
• Barrel cacti, with orange to red-orange blooms.
Contact reporter Doug Kreutz at dkreutz@azstarnet.com or at 573-4192.
