The large amounts of snowmelt in Southern Utah have brought an abundance of desert wildflowers that is unusual to our little drought-stricken valleys. While they’re here, we might as well enjoy them!
Here are some of the wildflowers, both the pretty and the slightly annoying, that have been blooming around Bryce Valley this spring and summer:
- Utah Yucca or Narrow leaf yucca.
- Doubting mariposa lily.
- Western stickseed.
- Desert globemallow.
- Prickly pear cactus flowers.
- Palmer’s penstemon.
- Desert plume.
Utah Yucca or Narrow Leaf Yucca
Varieties of yucca can be found all over the Americas and the Caribbean. The Utah and narrow leaf yuccas, though, are found only in Utah, Arizona and New Mexico. These varieties form long, thin leaves, which taper to a sharp point, and this year they have flowers!
The flowers form clusters of extremely thick white- or cream-colored petals on a 3’-6’ stalk. The yucca’s leaves, fruits and roots can all be nutritious and were often used this way by early pioneers and American Indians in the area.
These plants bloom in the spring to early summer. The flowers are beginning to disappear as of late June, but they are still kicking in some higher elevation areas.
Doubting Mariposa Lily
The doubting mariposa lilies are some that we don’t normally see much of in Southern Utah. Normally they occur mostly in Arizona, and in small areas adjacent in Utah and New Mexico. This year, however, they are more plentiful.
The doubting mariposa lily is a white, three-petaled lily related to the sego lily, Utah’s state flower. One plant can produce multiple flowers, and they are very pretty.
These flowers bloom from May to July.
Western Stickseed
The western stickseed can be annoying with its little burrs that fall off and stick to your clothes, but its tiny flowers are quite pretty. Just don’t get too close.
The flowers are very small and inconspicuous, growing to only 0.2 inches wide. Despite the annoyances, these little white or light blue flowers have a tiny sort-of charm to them.
They bloom from April to July.
Desert Globemallow
The desert globemallow is by far the most abundant this year. Adus Dorsey also wrote about the beautiful fields of it in Wayne County. Mostly globemallow can be found at medium elevations in the Great Basin.
Globemallow stems boast lots of orange or reddish, cup-shaped flowers, which stand out boldly from far away.
These strong-personality flowers bloom between March and July.
Prickly Pear Cactus Flowers
Many of the prickly pear cactus flowers are gone by late June, but a couple were still holding on when these pictures were taken.
These flowers bring some of the appeal back to our prickly cactus friends. They can occur in all sorts of colors, including yellow, orange and pink, and they form tulip-type, wide, waxy-looking petals.
Cactus flowers appear in late spring, but they are usually gone by early summer when the heat kicks in.
Palmer’s Penstemon
Of all the flowers I found, the palmer’s penstemons were probably my favorite, though the desert plume did have its own unique appeal. You can find Palmer’s penstemons all over Utah, Nevada and Arizona, mostly in sunny areas in pine woodland.
These flowers grow on long, 2’-7’ stalks, with clusters of flowers on top, similar to the yucca. They are pink, but some tend to look more purple, while others are almost white, with purple lines down the bottom. They also have an open mouth look, like a snapdragon.
These elegant flowers bloom between May and July.
Desert Plume
The desert plume is an unusual-looking flower, but it is pretty common in the desert-y West. It can be found in open, sunny locations.
Its lemon-yellow plume opens from the bottom up throughout the season. Even more interesting than the petals on this flower are the long stamens, or the pollen producing stalks, coming from the middle of the flower. These flowers aren’t afraid to be who they are, even if it’s a little funny-looking.
They bloom from May to July.
Enjoy the Southern Utah Wildflowers!
Sometimes we forget about the beautiful desert wildflowers that occur in Southern Utah in the early summer. This year, they’ve come out to remind us.
So don’t forget to go out and enjoy the wildflowers!
– by Abbie Call
More Pictures
Feature image caption: Some bright yellow prickly pear cactus flowers at the Bryce Valley Shooting Range holding on at the end of June. June 22, 2023.
Read about more ideas for summer in Ari Hurdsman’s Summer Activities.
Abbie Call – Cannonville/Kirksville, Missouri
Abbie Call is a journalist and editor at The Byway. She graduated in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in editing and publishing from Brigham Young University. Her favorite topics to write about include anything local, Utah’s megadrought, and mental health and meaning in life. In her free time, she enjoys reading, hanging out with family, quilting and hiking.
Find Abbie on Threads @abbieb.call or contact her at [email protected].