Spring Wildflowers A guide to jewelflower (Streptanthus carinatus) Bajada lupine (Lupinus concinnus) Barestem larkspur (Delphinium scaposum) collecting Bladderpod (Lesquerella gordonii) Bluedicks (Dichelostemma capitatum) Blue Phacelia (Phacelia distans) and growing Brittlebush (Encelia farinosa) Canyon penstemon (Penstemon psuedospectabilis) Cardinal penstemon (Penstemon eatoni) Sonoran Chia (Salvia columbariae) Desert (Senna covesii) is easy to get started from seed, and attracts cloudless sulfur butterflies! Chuparosa (Justicia californica) Desert marigold (Baileya multiradiata) Desert Desert mariposa lily (Calochortus kennedyi) Fiddleneck (Amsinckia intermedia) Globemallow ( ambigua) Wildflowers Mexican golden poppy (Eschscholtzia mexicana) Mojave lupine (Lupinus sparsiflorus) Owl’s clover (Castilleja exserta [Orthocarpus purpurascens]) Parry’s penstemon (Penstemon parryi) Brought to you by the Purple mat (Nama demissum) TUCSON CHAPTER Tufted evening primrose (Oenothera caespitosa) Globemallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua) is usually Western wall (Erysimum capitatum) of the ARIZONA orange, but look for other colors as well – blooms can

be orange, white, pink, red, or lavender! NATIVE And many more! SOCIETY Resources:

Arizona Native Plant Society http://www.aznps.com

Southern Arizona Wildflowers and of the http://www.fireflyforest.com/flowers/

Parry’s penstemon (Penstemon parryii) is a gorgeous tall bloomer that will attract hummingbirds to your Arizona Desert Museum yard.. http://www.desertmuseum.org/

Monsoon wildflowers How to plant

Native wildflowers are adapted to the difficult Arizona blue-eyes (Evolvulus arizonicus) growing conditions of the Sonoran desert. Arizona foldwing (Dicliptera resupinata) Once established, wildflowers need minimal Arizona poppy (Kallstroemia grandiflora) care. However, you can’t just sprinkle seeds on Brownfoot (Acourtia wrightii) the ground and expect them to survive. Blackfoot daisy (Melampodium leucanthum) In the Southwest wildflowers have two bloom Cinch weed (Pectis papposa) seasons that coincide with the two rainy Cockroach plant (Haplophyton crooksii) season, winter/spring and summer/fall Desert cotton (Gossypium thurberi) (monsoon). Plant spring bloomers in the fall Desert senna (Senna covesii) and summer bloomers in the spring. Devil’s claw (Proboscidea parviflora) Sacred datura (Datura wrightii) – use gloves Dogweed (Dyssodia pentachaeta) and take care with where you plant it, this Choose your location. Most wildflowers like a Hooker’s evening primrose (Oenothera elata) plant is poisonous; it attacts hawkmoths. sunny locations. Avoid poorly drained or Paper flower (Psilostrophe cooperi) heavily compacted soils. Prickly poppy (Argemone pleiacantha) Collecting Seed Pringle’s clustervine (Jacquemontia pringlei) Birds and other small animals are attracted to

Purple aster (Machaeranthera tanacetifolia) wildflower seeds. Rock, gravel or decomposed Collecting and storing native wildflower seeds for Sacred datura (Datura wrightii) granite mulch or ground cover make ideal your garden is fun, easy and free. There are a few medium for wildflowers. Sprinkle your seeds Spreading fanpetals (Sida abutifolia) things to keep in mind before you go out gathering and hose them down into the rock to create a wildflower seeds: seed-to-soil contact and to protect them from And many more! hungry birds. • Feel free to collect from your own yard.

• Ask your neighbors before you take seeds If you are sowing seed in soil without a rocky from their yard. mulch or the soil has been compacted, loosen • Never gather seeds in State or National the top inch of soil with a hard rake or Parks. Collection on any public lands cultivator to create niches for the seed. No requires a permit. need to loosen deeper than one inch. • Very important - some people are allergic to certain plants and many will react when Do not bury your seeds any deeper than 1/8th handling seeds. of an inch. Some of the seeds will remain visible on the soil surface. Remember that Once you have identified the seeds you want to seeds not only need moisture, but light as well collect make sure the seeds are mature. It is for germination. usually easy to tell when seeds are mature. Pods or husks will be tan or brown and brittle. The seed Depending on the amount of rain, you may inside will be hard, and vary in color from black to need to water your seeds and seedlings to tan. ensure a good wildflower display. Keep the soil moist for up to three weeks or until the After you harvest the seed store them in paper seedlings emerge. When the seedlings reach bags or envelopes. Some plastic bags don’t allow one or two inches tall, water only when you Arizona blue-eyes (Evolvulus arizonicus) is air circulation and might encourage mold. Label see signs of stress such as wilt or yellowing. a wonderful addition to any garden! the bag or envelope with the plant name and the date collected. Store your seeds in a cool dark place until you are ready to plant.