Wildflowers

This columbine grows along Beaver Creek and the prehistoric canal at our Montezuma Well unit.  Since it lives in a shadier, wetter environment it can have bigger leaves.

Penny Wagner

Desert annuals, like wildflowers, are adapted to the arid environment in many different ways. These include thick, waxy coverings on leaves and stems that reduce exposure and thus evaporation loss while the plant transpires or "breathes"; small leaves that receive less solar radiation; and deep taproots to reach further into the soil or shallow, widespread roots that absorb surface water quickly. Despite these adaptations, most desert wildflowers avoid drought and heat by surviving as seeds or bulbs stored in the soil, sometimes for decades. These seeds will only germinate after significant seasonal rainfall, so wildflower growth in Montezuma Castle is highly-variable year to year. April and May are generally the best months to see wildflowers, then again in early fall if there are a lot of summer monsoons. Some desert plants take advantage of the nights cooler temperatures to flower. These evening-blooming plants include evening primrose, datura, sand verbena, and yucca.

 

Sacred Datura

NPS Photo
Nicholas Goodman

Sacred Datura

Also known as Thornapple, Devils Trumpet, Giant Jimson, or Moon Lilly, it is an extremely poisonous plant if ingested. Aztec priests used datura to speak with the gods, predict the future, and find stolen objects. Navajos believe datura’s visions can show sacred animals. During the Middle Ages, mixing datura seeds into alcohol was popular in Europe. The brainwave activity of a person under the influence of datura is similar to REM sleep; possibly supporting a theory that dautra breaks down barriers between waking and dream images. Aside from visions, datura also possesses healing properties. Records in India indicate smoking datura leaves helped relieve asthma, while Navajos chewed the dried root during ceremonies to quell fever. Zunis made a poultice from datura to reduce the pain of wounds and bruises.The flowers do not bloom until around nighttime each night from April to November and the flowers disappear by noon.

 

Silverleaf Nightshade

NPS Photo
Nicholas Goodman

Silverleaf Nightshade

Also known as Silver Horse Nettle, Bull Nettle, Desert Nightshade, the Silverleaf Nightshade is poisonous if ingested. This particular plant produces a protein digesting enzyme which can be used in cheese making. Native Americans added crushed berries to curdle milk.

 

A field of Sunflowers

NPS Photo
Nicholas Goodman

Sunflowers

With over 32,000 species contained within the Asteraceae family, the Sunflower a mostly herbaceous plant but some shrubs, vines, and trees do exist. The petals or "sunrays" in a sunflower head are actually individual strap-shaped flowers called ray flowers. Cooking oils, leaf vegetables like lettuce and artichokes and many others come from the Asteraceae family.

 

Woolly Morning Glory

NPS Photo
Nicholas Goodman

Woolly Morning Glory

Part of the Morning Glory family, this particular flower has a purplish, tubular, with five pointed, hair sepals about one inch wide. This flower blooms between July to November.