Flowers in the Tortolitas

Arizona Poppy
(Kallstroemia grandiflora)

This member of the caltrop family grows one to two feet high and resembles the Mexican poppy. Bright yellow flowers appear from February to September. As with most wildflowers here they are very much dependant on enough rain falling during the monsoons.

Desert Lily
(Hesperocallis undulata)

This desert wildflower is a member of the lily family and resembles the hothouse Easter lily. It has narrow leaves and white blossoms, grows from six inches to two feet tall. It is a perennial that blooms in March and April and is very fragrant. The bulbs have an onion or garlic flavor and were eaten by the Papago Indians of the Sonoran desert.

Desert Mistletoe
(Phoradendron californicum)

This desert parasite is found on ironwood, mesquite and cottonwood trees. Its blossom is fragrant, small, yellowish green and appears in the spring. They fruit with a pink berry which birds such as the Verdin and Phainopepla use as a food source. They were also dried in the sun and stored by the Papago Indians. Mistletoe can kill its host tree and should be removed if it becomes to out of control. Most healthy trees can survive a moderate infestation. They, like all mistletoe, can be highly poisonous if eaten.

Ironwood
(Olneya tesota)

This member of the pea family reaches 35 feet in height. In May and June, purple flowers appear against evergreen foliage. Their seeds are harvested by the Native Americans who roast them for their nutlike taste. They also made arrow points of the wood and used it for fires. They have evolved to time their flowering so that they do not compete for the same pollinating insects by not blooming at the same time as the Mesquite or Palo Verde trees. These trees are slow growing and long lived.

Lupine
(Lupinus sparsiflorus)

Pale pink to deep purple flowers appear in January and last into May. This member of the pea family is a bushy two-foot tall plant that grows well in poor desert soil. Their display in spring mingles with other seasonal wildflowers to present a carpet of color. This is also often the first wildflower seen in the spring and is usually found in ‘upset zones” such as new roadways or disturbed areas.

Mexican Poppy
(Eschscholtzia mexicana)

This popular wildflower grows in carpets of orange and bright yellow and appears after winter rains. It grows up to a foot tall and can also be used in flower garden borders. It is a member of the poppy family. If given a chance it will try and take over an area so be prepared to do serious cut backs when it is well established.

Morning Glory
(Evolvulus aizonicus)

Unlike the familiar morning glory vines, this perennial herb reaches only two feet in height. It has similar flower that is 1/2 inch wide and is bright blue. It is a member of the convolvulus family and grows in sunny spots in dry desert locations. There are several types of morning glories and the closer to water the more species that are seen.

Oleander
(Nerium oleander)

The oleander is a rapid growing shrub that grows up to twenty feet tall. Primary blossoming season is early spring through summer. Large clusters of deep rose, pink or white flowers show off against glossy evergreen leaves, which are toxic. They are used in clumps as ornamental hedges or can be planted singly and pruned into a tree shape. A member of the dogbane family, they are well adapted to a desert environment.

Paloverde
(Cercidium floridum)

Palo Verde means green stick in Spanish and was so named because its bark is a vivid green. This member of the pea family can reach 25 feet and blooms in the spring with bright yellow blossoms. During periods of drought, they drop their tiny leaves, which allows them to thrive in the desert. Bean pods form after the tree blooms. The Native Americans ground these seedpods into flour. As a desert adaptation even the tree trunk and branches can produce food for the tree without any leaves for periods of time.

Pentstemon
(Pentstemon pseudospectabilis)

A perennial of the figwort family, pentstemon has rose-colored flowers that bloom from April into July. It grows to a height of three feet and is evident throughout the southwest. It is considered an herb. One of the favorites of the several species found in Arizona is “Parry’s pentstemon” which is very tall and has bright fire cracker red flowers that seem to attract everything from bees to hummingbirds and moths to butterflies.

Spanish Bayonet
(Yucca arizonica)

A broad-leaf plant, the yucca sends up creamy, waxy, bell-shaped flowers, on the end of a stalk, in April and May. Clumps can grow as tall as eight to twenty feet. This member of the lily family has fibers that were made into ropes, baskets, matting and cloth by the Native Americans of the southwest. Fruit, stalks and flowers were eaten and the seeds were ground into flour. The roots were used to make soap.

Starflower
(Gilia filifolia)

Blossoms may be lavender, pale blue or white and appear in April and May. It is a member of the phlox family, reaching six inches to two feet in height. With abundant winter rainfall, carpets of flowers may be seen. There are several species and they are widely scattered in the southwest.

Thistle
(Cirsium neomexicanum)

These perennials have heavy flower heads that can be white or purple. This member of the sunflower family grows two to four feet tall and has spiny, prickly stems and leaves. Some Native Americans use it as a medicinal remedy. It is common and well known throughout the southwest.

Verbena
(Abronia Villosa)

Purplish pink flowers bloom during March and April on this member of the four-o’clock family. It is considered an annual herb and will form a trailing carpet of blooms in sandy desert soil. As with many flowers there are several species of verbena and many can be found at local nurseries. Be aware that they are an aggressive grower and may need cutting back. They are very hardy, fast growing, and drought tolerant.

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