Anza-Borrego Wildflowers Lite

The Anza-Borrego Desert is part of the Colorado Desert that is a subdivision of the larger Sonoran Desert.

This is a free guide to the basics of identifying over 100 (this is the lite version, a full version is available as well) of the most common wildflowers in the Anza-Borrego Desert and how to tell look-alikes apart. Pictures show the characteristics you need including colors, flowers, leaves, stems, branches, and more.

Optionally you can get the Full Guide (for a small fee):


This is a free advanced guide with descriptions, keys, scientific names and families for over 920 wildflowers. Sort by common or scientific name. Select an individual family. Search options include partial name, scientific name, or family.
To add the full guide: No action is required in the iOS version, just press the Full guide button in the app.

Is the guide complete?

The guide is as complete as we can make it right now. We add new flowers constantly after our desert hikes which are almost daily.
But we are probably missing hundreds of less common plants and flowers, but one day we will find them.

When is the flower season?

The season for wildflower annuals reaches its peak from early February to late April. It is followed by a parade of perennials over the summer and fall and into the following year.
Rainfall can be very localized, it needs to fall at just the right time, in the right amount.

Is every wildflower season the same? No. Rainfall and temperatures vary from year to year and from place to place within the desert. Altitude is an important factor, too. Remember that the Anza-Borrego Desert region ranges from well below 1,000 feet to over 5,000 feet. The first flowers appear in the lower elevations and move higher through the spring.
Anza-Borrego is part of the Colorado Desert, that is a part of the larger Sonoran Desert.

Where can I find more information?
Our Facebook page and website are a good start, if you have any questions let us know.

Found something rare or interesting?
We are always interested, let us know A.S.A.P., on our Facebook page, or drop us an email.

Warning:

What will this guide do for you? Our hope is that our guide will help you identify the wildflowers you see, by genera if not by species. It will not make you an expert overnight. Some species, and varieties and subspecies, are difficult to identify, even for an expert.

Never assume you have the right flower, always check if everything adds up, the most common mistake is to ID a flower, just by appearances and ending up with a wrong conclusion.

If in doubt, just post a request on our Facebook page and we or someone else will be glad to help you out.