Flower report.

It's been a disappointing season for those of us who ordinarily like to hike amongst or shoot Sonoran Desert wildflowers. The season should be peaking right now, but instead it's done. Brittlebrush and creosote bush bloomed, albeit weakly, but poppies, lupines, and pentstemons are making an extremely poor showing. In a good year we'd right now see many of the latter in low areas along Kinney Road, but not this time around. Likewise, there's not much color at all at Picacho Peak.

Rains came heavy and late this year; maybe that means the flowers will come late, as well. And on the bright side, ocotillo are in full bloom in Saguaro National Park West, and paloverdes around Tucson and in the countryside are blooming more strongly than I've ever seen. We can probably expect an equally strong showing from the related ironwoods.