Mid-April – A Slow Start
With colder nights and little seasonal precipitation, the arrival of wildflowers had a slow start in 2023. We had seen the first sagebrush buttercups (Ranunculus glaberrimus) by about March 20th (there were earlier sightings by other people). They have continued in waves ever since as the snow melts and the days warm up. Yellow bells (Fritillaria pudica) were first spotted on March 31st on the benchlands. The first Puccinia monoica (rust-infected boechera) was spotted after about April 10th.
Other wildflowers emerging include Phacelia hastata (silverleaf phacelia), desert parsley (Lomatium sp.), pale comandra, low pussytoes (Anennaria dimorpha), and upland larkspur (Delphinium nuttallianum). All photos by the author. Click an image for a lightbox view and a caption/ID.
