Big Bear, CA
I quiet mountain community full of back country adventure.
Government Holes
The tale of the the Old Mojave Road is the story of water, the more important resource in the desert. Along the Old Mojave Road trail is the Government Holes water stop. Long abandoned, the site still contains a wind mill, a corral and a few watering holes. This quiet remote location was even the site of a gunfight.
The story of the American West is the story ongoing and continued conflicts between the Native Americans and settlers and this holds was also true for the Mojave desert. In 1858 the Mohave tribe attack various wagon trains, which prompted a military response from the U.S. Government. Major William Hoffman and over 600 men were dispatched to the Colorado River which is the homeland of the Mohave Tribe. Major Hoffman demand the Mohave surrender to which the tribe relented. Major Hoffman next established a post on the eastern bank of the Colorado River which developed into Fort Mojave. To support this new fort, regular supply wagon trains from Los Angeles were required to travel east through the Mojave Desert until the Civil War. Improvements to the wagon trail included a water stop which became known as Government Holes.
By the 1870s, steamboats on the Colorado supplied Fort Mojave and the Mojave Road became a highway for miners, prospectors, and ranchers. In 1883 the Southern Pacific / Atlantic & Pacific Railroad took up the majority of traffic. Throughout the 1800’s the Mojave was an open range, and cattle and livestock grazing was a source of money and food. As with many human endeavors, smaller operations consolidate into larger companies. These companies worked to claim ownership of land and most importantly water rights.
Homesteaders were in conflict with the Cattle Companies, when the homesteaders stake claims on the best grazing territory. Homesteaders crops were trampled by the cattle, and the cattle companies denied the homesteaders access to water. The homesteaders responded by taking their portion of beef from the herd. All of this game to a head when a gun fight broke out between Matt Burts and J. W. “Bill” Robinson on November 8th, 1925. Both men died in the fight, and may be one of the last of the “old west” gunfights and the plot of a lot of Hollywood movies.
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Travelers Monument
When travelling the Old Mojave Road, there is a tradition to pick and carry a rock, and carry the rock to the Travelers Monument. The monument is located about half way along the Old Mojave Road, just south of the town of Baker in the dry soda lake.
Prior to our trip, my son took great time choosing the rock that we would contribute to the monument. There were at least three re-picks for him to find the perfect stone. Throughout our travels on that day, he took great delight in watching the stone which was on the floor below his feet. It was a long day of waiting for him.
Continue Reading →Spreading Phlox ( Phlox diffusa )
Spreading Phlox ( Phlox diffusa ) is a perennial shrub with small needle like leaves. This is a small white flowering plant prefers alpine, sub-alpine environments and rocky or sandy soil. This is a low growing plant which is commonly only two to eight inches tall which probably offers survival advantages when confronted with the harsh landscapes of sub-alpine and alpine environments, in which it thrives.
Spreading Phlox is commonly found and adapted high in the mountains and distributed throughout in the western United States and Canada. This plant employs a tap route, which is ideally suited to capture water deeper under ground and also offers an anchor to help the plant cling to the mountain in high wind conditions. The plant is short, and when in full bloom, the flowers may completely obscure the green needle like leaves from view.
The five petaled flowers range in color from a clean, magnificent white to calming understated lavender or pink color.
The blooms are typically visible from May to August and a welcome sight to those who hike at elevation.
Desert Marigolds (Baileya multiradiata)
Biological Report: Desert Marigold
Scientific Taxonomy
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Clade: Tracheophytes
- Clade: Angiosperms
- Clade: Eudicots
- Clade: Asterids
- Order: Asterales
- Family: Asteraceae (Aster or Sunflower family)
- Genus: Baileya
- Species: Baileya multiradiata Harv. & A. Gray ex A. Gray
Common names include desert marigold, showy desert marigold, paper daisy, desert baileya, and hierba amarilla. Synonyms include Baileya australis, Baileya multiradiata var. nudicaulis, Baileya multiradiata var. thurberi, and Baileya thurberi. The genus is named after American botanist Jacob Whitman Bailey; “multiradiata” refers to the many-rayed flower heads.
Description
Desert marigold is a native, sun-loving biennial or short-lived perennial forb/herb that typically grows 12–18 inches (30–52 cm) tall and spreads 4–12 inches (10–30 cm) wide, forming attractive mound-shaped clumps. The basal leaves are grayish-green, woolly (covered in soft white hairs that help retain moisture), pinnately lobed to entire, and clustered at the base (4–10 cm long). The stems are mostly leafless and branched in the lower half. Flower heads are solitary, daisy-like composites borne on long, naked stalks (10–32 cm). Each head measures about 1.5–2 inches (4–5 cm) across with 25–50 bright yellow ray florets (the “petals”) surrounding a central disk of 25–50+ yellow disk florets. As the flowers age, the rays fade and become papery, giving rise to the common name “paper daisy.” The plant is adapted to arid conditions and is distinguished from similar species like woolly desert marigold (Baileya pleniradiata) by its taller stature, longer bloom period, and greater abundance.
Blooms
The showy, bright-yellow composite flower heads bloom intermittently from March (or April) through November, and can continue year-round in favorable conditions with adequate moisture. Flowering is sporadic but prolific, often triggered by rainfall, producing impressive mounds of nearly solid yellow. The long-lasting blooms turn papery and persist on the plant as they age. This extended blooming period makes it one of the most reliable and conspicuous desert wildflowers.
Range and Distribution
Desert marigold is native to the Mojave, Sonoran, and Chihuahuan deserts of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. In the U.S., it occurs in Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, and Utah (primarily at lower to mid-elevations). In Mexico, it extends into states including Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, and Aguascalientes. It grows on sandy or gravelly (often alkaline) soils in washes, roadsides, rocky slopes, sandy plains, mesas, and semidesert grasslands, from near sea level up to about 5,000–6,500 ft (100–1,981 m). It thrives in full sun and well-drained soils across desert ecosystems.
This hardy, drought-tolerant wildflower is an iconic component of southwestern desert landscapes, valued for its cheerful blooms and adaptability.
This yellow wild flower is also known as:
- Desert Marigold
- Showy Desert Marigold
- Paper Daisy
- Desert Baileya
Desert Primrose (Oenothera deltoides)
Classification (Taxonomy)
Oenothera deltoides belongs to the evening primrose family and is classified as follows (using a combination of traditional Linnaean ranks and modern phylogenetic clades):
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Clade: Tracheophytes (vascular plants)
- Clade: Angiosperms (flowering plants)
- Clade: Eudicots
- Clade: Rosids
- Order: Myrtales
- Family: Onagraceae Juss. (Evening Primrose family)
- Genus: Oenothera L.
- Species: Oenothera deltoides Torr. & Frém. (described in 1845 by John Torrey and John C. Frémont)
The species includes several subspecies (e.g., O. d. subsp. howellii, which is federally endangered in California, and others such as subsp. deltoides, subsp. piperi, subsp. ambigua, subsp. cognata, and subsp. julpunensis). The overall species is considered secure.
Description
Oenothera deltoides, commonly known as the Desert Primrose, is a bushy or mounded annual (sometimes short-lived perennial) herb in the Evening Primrose family. It typically grows 2–18 inches (5–46 cm) tall but can reach up to 3 feet (about 1 m) in favorable conditions, with a spread up to 40 inches (1 m) wide. The plant often forms a dense basal rosette with a central erect stem and several decumbent to ascending leafy branches. The herbage is grayish-green to pale green and may be hairy or glandular.
Leaves: Primarily basal and sparse along the stems; deltoid (triangular) to obovate or oblanceolate in shape, up to 4 inches (10 cm) long. Margins are often toothed, lobed, grooved, or cleft, giving a distinctive triangular appearance (reflected in the species epithet deltoides).
Flowers: Large, showy, and fragrant, measuring 1.5–3 inches (4–8 cm) wide with four white petals forming a saucer or cup shape (sometimes turning yellowish toward the center). They open in the early evening (around sunset) and close by mid-morning, a classic evening-primrose trait. The flowers are solitary in the upper leaf axils and fade to pinkish with age. They are pollinated primarily by nocturnal moths (such as the white-lined sphinx moth) and native bees.
Fruit: A woody capsule that persists after flowering.
Distinctive Feature: After the plant dies (typically after setting seed), the stems curl upward and inward, forming a hollow, cage- or basket-like structure. This gives rise to many of its common names and allows the dried plant to tumble in the wind, dispersing seeds.
The plant is highly adapted to arid conditions and often carpets sandy desert floors with white “tissue-paper-like” blooms following abundant winter rains.
Range and Distribution
Oenothera deltoides is native to the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Its range includes the Mojave and Colorado Deserts, extending into parts of the Great Basin and coastal sandy areas. It occurs in the following U.S. states: Arizona (AZ), California (CA), Nevada (NV), Oregon (OR), and Utah (UT). In Mexico, it is found in northern Baja California and northwestern regions.
Habitat: Dry, open sandy soils, dunes, desert washes, rocky cliffs, hillsides, and occasionally beaches or coastal dunes. Elevations are generally below 2,500–5,500 feet (760–1,680 m), depending on the region. It thrives in full sun and is most abundant in the Mojave, Sonoran, and adjacent desert regions after wet winters.
Flowering season is primarily January–May (varying slightly by location and rainfall), with peak blooms often in February–April.
List of Other Common Names
In addition to Desert Primrose (or Dune Primrose), the species is known by many evocative names that reference its flowers, fragrance, or post-death “cage” structure:
- Birdcage evening primrose
- Basket evening primrose
- Birdcage primrose
- Dune evening primrose
- Lion in a cage (or Lion-in-a-cage)
- Devil’s lantern (or Desert lantern)
- Fragrant primrose
- Desert evening-primrose
- Hairy evening primrose (occasional reference)
These names vary regionally but consistently highlight the plant’s striking appearance and unique dried form.
Oenothera deltoides is a beautiful and ecologically important desert wildflower, providing nectar for pollinators and contributing to the spectacular spring displays of the American Southwest. It is widely available for native plant gardening in arid regions and requires well-drained sandy soil with minimal irrigation once established.