Five weeks ago I wrote a post about the wildflowers here in Death Valley.  They are tiny but mighty and fill the gravel fields of the valley with tinges of gold.  Since then, even more of the flowers have been blooming and I have seen some new flowers that I have never seen before.  So I thought they deserved their own post.

We see wildflowers all over.  They are in the washes and canyons where we hike.  They are in the gravel fields and alluvial fans that cover most of the desert floor.  Lots of the wildflowers are along the road and people often stop in the middle of the road to take pictures.

The prettiest place for wildflowers this year has been the area around Jubilee Pass in the southern end of Death Valley.  Tom and I drove through there one day and there were so many wildflowers all over the place that I couldn’t even stop to take pictures – it was overwhelming.  The beauty and creativity of God in these tiny, fragile packages.

This is the desert five-spot.  Guess where it gets its name? This is one of the few flower names that Tom always remembers.

This is a rock nettle.  You don’t want to fall into it!

This is Scented Cryptantha.  The flowers are tiny and on funny stalks but it does smell sweet.

This is Sacred Datura.  I’m not sure why it is sacred, but the flowers are the biggest wildflowers in Death Valley.  They are the same size as my hand and bloom at night and in the early morning.

The Beaver-tail Cactus are the first cacti to bloom in the spring.  The flowers are a brilliant, vibrant pink and easy to see against the gray and browns of the desert.

This is Globemallow.  It is the only orange flower in Death Valley, so it is easy to remember.

Other wildflowers (I was sure I had pictures but can’t find them right now) include Gravel Ghost.  The flower stands up tall and white, but the leaves hug the ground and are brown to blend in with the sand.  Another one with a descriptive name is the Pebble Pincushion that looks like a small, white pincushion sticking up in the desert.

The variety, color, and longevity of the wildflowers is just amazing.  I have been enjoying them for most of the time we have been in Death Valley.