Current Wildflowers Conditions

Wildflowers in Saguaro National Park

Saguaro National Park is home to an array of wildflowers. In particular, the spring annuals bring a rush of color to the desert, as well as a rush of visitation. To get the most out of your visit to Saguaro National Park, check out the current notes and conditions below to find out what's poppy'n up around in each district. 

As noted, the flowers bring a lot of visitation to the park so be sure to remember while you're here:

• Flowers are for looking at and pollinating, and last time we checked you weren't a bee. NO PICKING FLOWERS. Leave them for the busy bees and other pollinators. 
• Be cautious where you step. Many of the flowers are super tiny as an adaptation to the hot environment, so keep an eye out as you walk around and take pictures.
• Humans and bees are not the only ones enjoying the flowers, be mindful of any wildlife that you see.
• A lot of flowers occur along roadways. DO NOT PARK IN THE ROAD! Always find a safe and official pull off or parking lot and be careful of those around you and on the road. 

 

A busy bee digs deep into the flower of a desert lupine, as the sun begins to set in the background.

Jordan Camp

Wildflowers in the Tucson Mountain District (West Side)

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While the park has many great spots to find wildflowers, here are some particularly plentiful areas:

• Along Kinney Road in the park
• King Canyon Wash Trail
• Sendero Esperanza Trail, especially at the base of the mountain.
• Ringtail Trail and the surrounding area

Most recent flower observations:
For the week of April 29th, 2024,
"Most of the wild flowers have died back, but the cactus have begun their flowering season! Cholla, Prickly Pear, Hedgehog, and Saguaros have all started to blooming in the west district."

Previous flower observations:
For the week of April 8th, 2024,
"The flowers are still everywhere, especially along roads and trails, and we are starting to see some saguaro buds forming. We're also starting to see more cholla and hedgehog cactus flowers."

For the week of April 1st, 2024,
"The flowers seemed to have peaked last week, and are gradually beginning to go away this week, although there are still plenty to see throughout the park. We are beginning to see some cactus flowers."

Species observed for the week of March 26, 2024 include:

• Flowers found along Sendero Esperanza to Hugh Norris Trail
  Yellow	Pink/Purple/Blue	White/Green	Orange/Red
  Fiddleneck	Desert Lupine	Arizona Sandmat	Caliche Globe-Mallow
  Brittlebush	Scorpionweed	Arizona Jewel	Beardtongue
  Mexican Gold Poppy	Wild Hyacinth	Desert Chicory
  Whitesem Blazingstar	Parry's Penstemon	Jojoba
  Gordon's Bladderpod	Fairyduster	Desert Wishbone
  Desert Marigold	Chia Sage	California Mustard
  Bahia	Filaree	Rose Bladderpod
  Desert Dandelion	Bajada	Arizona Popcorn
  	Desert Lavender	Canyon Ragweed
  		White Woolly Daisy
  		Odora

• Flowers found along King Canyon Wash Trail
  Yellow	Pink/Purple/Blue	White/Green	Orange/Red
  Fiddleneck	Desert Lupine	Arizona Sandmat	Caliche Globe-Mallow
  Seep Monkey	Scorpionweed	Arizona Jewel
  Brittlebush	Wild Hyacinth	Desert Chicory
  Whitesem Blazingstar	Parry's Penstemon	Jojoba
  Gordon's Bladderpod	Fairyduster	Desert Wishbone
  Mexican Gold Poppy	Chia Sage	California Mustard
  Trixis	Filaree	Bladder-Mallow
  Prickly Sow-Thistle	Trailing Four o'clock	Arizona Popcorn
  Timothy Grass	Desert Lavender	Canyon Ragweed
  	White Woolly Twintip	Beetle Spurge
  	Parry Dalea	Curve-Nut Combseed
  		Ragged Rock Flower

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A series of bright yellow flowers line the stalks of the fiddleneck. Leading to large swaths of yellow across the desert floor.

NPS

Wildflowers in the Rincon Mountain District (East Side)

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The east side of the park normally blooms a bit later than the west side, which allows for more flower time! Here are some of the areas in the Rincon Mountain District where the flowers have really taken off:

• The Cactus Forest Loop Drive
  • Between the start of the loop to Desert Ecology Trail
  • Near the Loma Verde Trailhead
  • Near the Javelina Rocks pull out
  • The last stretch returning to the Visitor Center
• Desert Ecology Trail

Most recent flower observations:
Species observed for the week of April 29, 2024 include:

Flowers found along the Cactus Forest Loop Drive & Desert Ecology Trail
Yellow/Orange	Purple/Blue	White	Red/Pink	Cactus Flowers
Brittlebush	Desert Lupine	Fleabane	Ocotillo	Saguaro
Creosote Bush	Blue Phacelia	Desert Zinnia	Fairy Dusters	Prickly Pear
Paperflower	Desert Larkspur	Desert Chicory	Magenta Indigobush	Hedgehog
Desert Senna		Silverpuffs	Climbing Milkweed	Teddy Bear Cholla
Desert Olive			Coulter Brickellbush
Blue Palo Verde			Fairy Duster
			Filaree
			Desert Rhubarb
			Pringle Dalea
			Indigobush

Previous flower obsertations:
Species observed for the week of April 8, 2024 include:

Flowers found along the Cactus Forest Loop Drive & Desert Ecology Trail
Yellow/Orange	Purple/Blue	White	Red/Pink	Green
Brittlebush	Desert Lupine	Twistflower	Hedgehog Cactus	Canyon Ragweed
Bahia	Scorpionweed	Popcorn Flower	Ocotillo	Bowlesia
Creosote Bush	Chia	American Carrot	Parry Penstemon	Mormon Tea
Sow Thistle	Desert Larkspur	Oreganillo	Climbing Milkweed	Triangle-leaf Bursage
Menodora	Wild Hyacinth	Desert Zinnia	Coulter Brickellbush
London Rocket	Bajada Lupine	Odora	Fairy Duster
Fiddleneck	Wooly Stars	Desert Fleabane	Filaree
Globemallow	Purple Mat	Desert Chicory	Desert Rhubarb
Dogweed	Texas Toadflax	Cream Saucers	Pringle Dalea
Desert Rose Mallow		Desert Tobacco	Indigobush
Trixis		Gilia
Green Brittlebush		Silverpuffs
Desert Senna		California Mustard
Bladderpod		Cheesebush
Barrel Cactus (fruits!)		Flixweed
Threadleaf Groundsel		False Carrot
Paperflower		Stickseed
Golden Aster		Easter Bonnets
Desert Marigold		Morning Brides
Mexican Gold Poppy		Blood Weed
Mustard Evening Primrose		Saguaro (one very early plant!)
Yellow Monkeyflower		Bristleseed

For the week of April 1st, 2024,
"The storm wasn't very helpful and some flowers succumbed, so there are a few changes (mainly, the blooming saguaro has stopped and has no buds)."

Species observed for the week of March 26, 2024 include:

Flowers found along the Cactus Forest Loop Drive & Desert Ecology Trail
Yellow	Pink/Purple/Blue	White/Green	Orange/Red
Bahia	Chia Sage	Arizona Popcorn	Blood Weed
Bladderpod	Desert Lupine	California Mustard	Globe-Mallow
Creosote Bush	Fairyduster	Desert Chicory	Ocotilla
Desert Marigold	Indigo Bush	Jojoba
Fiddleneck	Parry's Penstemon	Saguaro
Flixweed	Phacelia
London Rocket	Pringle Dalea
Meixcan Gold Poppy	Stickseed
	Twistflower
	Wild Hyacinth

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