Photo Gallery (U.S. National Park Service)

A gallery of our desert flora in bloom.

*The copyright status of these images may vary. Check the copyright status on the image detail pages before you download them.

The Ironwood is one of the Sonoran Desert's most beautiful trees, especially when coverd with lilac-colored blossoms in May.

Ironwood Tree in Bloom

2584 x 3679
3.4 MB

Sacred Datura (Datura wrightii) has sometimes been called Moonflower. Its cerremonial uses by Native Americans are well-known. The seedpods are called 'thorn-apples.'

Sacred Datura

2584 x 3787
1.9 MB

In the high Rincon Mountains one can find the Yellow Columbine (Aquilegia chrysantha) which grows along mountain streams and around spring seeps throughout the Southwest.

Yellow Columbine in the Rincon...

2584 x 3787
1.9 MB

One of the best of the desert's "blanket" flowers is the Purple Owl Clover (Castilleja exserta), but it's appearance is sporadic and hard to predict!

Owl Clover in Spring

2584 x 3787
3.7 MB

the King Canyon Trail in the Tucson Mountain District is a good place to look for the Desert Mariposa (Calochortus kennedyi) when spring rains stir the underground bulbs to bloom.

Desert Mariposa

2584 x 3787
1.9 MB

Desert Larkspur (Delphinium parishii) is a delicate flower that is a surprise to see in harsh desert settings.

Desert Larkspur Blossoms

3787 x 2584
1.8 MB

The most famous of the Sonoran Desert's spring flowers is the Mexican Gold Poppy (Eschscholzia californica) -- large displays of this flower are rare at Saguaro National Park.

Mexican Gold Poppy

480 x 640
0.8 MB

This bright violet bloom on a Hedgehog Cactus caught the eye of many a visitor.

Hedgehog Cactus

734 x 979
0.5 MB

This picture shows all the pollen that can be found deep inside the bloom of a prickly pear cactus.

Pollen Count

734 x 979
0.4 MB

Prickly pear cactus flowers bloom a bright yellow, then slowly change into shades of orange and peach.

Yellow Prickly Pear Bloom

734 x 979
0.4 MB

The bright yellow flowers of the Brittlebush are a very common sight in the park during the spring, often covering whole hillsides.

Brittlebush Flowers

528 x 871
0.3 MB

This cream, yellow, and red colored member of the mallow family is beautiful sight to behold when hiking in Saguaro National Park.

Desert Rose Mallow (Coulter's ...

893 x 1165
0.6 MB

This delicate small white flower is often found on rocky slopes, hillsides, and along streams.

Cream Cups

589 x 926
0.3 MB

The middle of this Desert Marigold is just begging for pollination.

Desert Marigold

917 x 1556
0.8 MB

Small and delicate, the blue flower of the Miniature Wool Star is often found in sandy areas and atop mesas.

Miniature Wool Star (Eriastrum...

692 x 1004
0.4 MB

Up close the intricate design of the Fairy Duster flower is mesmerizing and beautiful.

Fairy Duster

1006 x 1166
0.7 MB

Indigo Bush is the common name given to many of the thirty-six species of Dalea found in Arizona. This picture is of one of the blossoms up close.

Indigo Bush

1069 x 982
0.6 MB

The pipe cleaner shaped flower of the Velvet Mesquite tree can reach lengths of more than four inches. It is an excellent source of honey for the bees that often pollinate it.

Velvet Mesquite

653 x 490
0.3 MB

This small yellow flower is found along brooks, springs, and in other wet places. While it may surprise some that this flower can be found in the desert, it is actually a fairly common resident of Saguaro National Park.

Common Monkey Flower

794 x 1190
0.6 MB

While the name of this plant refers to curling flowerheads that resemble a scorpion’s tail this plant is neither venomous nor scary.

Scorpionweed

734 x 979
0.6 MB

Back to top | View All