Tag: Superbloom 2026

Purple Sand Verbena (Abronia angustifolia Greene)

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Purple Sand Verbena (Abronia angustifolia Greene) is a member of the four o’clock family (Nyctaginaceae) and a distinctive annual (occasionally perennial) wildflower adapted to arid sandy environments in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.

Purple Sand Verbena (Abronia angustifolia Greene) Photo by James L Rathbun
Purple Sand Verbena (Abronia angustifolia Greene) Photo by James L Rathbun

Scientific Taxonomy

  • Kingdom: Plantae
  • Clade: Tracheophytes (vascular plants)
  • Clade: Angiosperms (flowering plants)
  • Clade: Eudicots
  • Order: Caryophyllales
  • Family: Nyctaginaceae (four o’clock family)
  • Genus: Abronia (sand-verbenas)
  • Species: Abronia angustifolia Greene (binomial name)

Synonyms: Abronia angustifolia var. arizonica, Abronia torreyi.

Description

Purple sand verbena is a low-growing herbaceous plant with decumbent to ascending, much-branched, elongate stems that are often reddish, glandular-pubescent, and viscid (sticky). Stems reach up to about 1 foot (30 cm) long. Leaves are opposite, with petioles 1–7 cm long and blades ovate-oblong to elliptic, measuring 1–5.5 × 0.7–3 cm; margins are entire to sinuate, often undulate, and infrequently shallowly lobed; both surfaces are viscid-pubescent. The plant forms sprawling mats or clumps suited to loose, sandy substrates. Fruits are broadly obdeltoid, scarious (dry and membranous), 5–10 × 4–8 mm, with 5 wings extending to or beyond a prominent beak and conspicuous dilations.

Blooms

Flowers appear in dense, rounded heads (inflorescences) 2 inches (≈5 cm) across, typically containing 10–30 individual flowers on peduncles longer than the subtending petioles. Each flower has a tubular perianth with a pink tube 10–20 mm long and a limb 6–8 mm in diameter ranging from bright magenta to pale pink (or infrequently pale rose). Bracts are lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, papery, and glandular-pubescent. Blooms are conspicuous and ornamental, often described with shades that give the species its “purple” common name despite the primary pink-to-magenta palette. Flowering occurs from spring through fall (March–August or longer in favorable conditions). Like many Nyctaginaceae, the flowers are adapted for pollination by nocturnal insects such as moths and may open or become more fragrant in the evening.

Range and Habitat

Purple sand verbena is native to the southwestern United States (Arizona, New Mexico, Texas) and northern Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila). It grows at elevations of 300–1,300 m (1,000–4,300 ft) in sandy soils, desert scrub, prairies, plains, meadows, pastures, savannas, and woodland edges or openings. It prefers well-drained, dry sandy substrates and can tolerate full sun to part shade with low water requirements. Plants on gypsum flats (e.g., White Sands, New Mexico) may behave as perennials but often flower in their first season. It is not documented in Nevada or California.

This species is valued for its drought tolerance, showy flower heads, and ability to stabilize sandy soils. It is primarily propagated by seed and is suitable for ornamental use in rock gardens or native plantings in arid landscapes.

Desert Five-Spot (Eremalche rotundifolia)

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The Desert Five-Spot (Eremalche rotundifolia) is a striking annual wildflower commonly observed in Death Valley National Park, particularly during favorable bloom years following sufficient winter rainfall.

Desert Five-Spot (Eremalche rotundifolia) - Photo by James L Rathbun
Desert Five-Spot (Eremalche rotundifolia) – Photo by James L Rathbun

Scientific Taxonomy

  • Kingdom: Plantae
  • Phylum: Tracheophyta (vascular plants)
  • Class: Magnoliopsida (dicotyledons)
  • Order: Malvales
  • Family: Malvaceae (mallow family, which includes hibiscus and cotton)
  • Genus: Eremalche
  • Species: Eremalche rotundifolia (A. Gray) Greene

This species is a dicotyledonous annual herb native to desert regions.

Description

The desert five-spot is a low-growing annual herb typically reaching 8–60 cm (3–24 inches) in height. It has an erect, sparsely branched stem (often simple or branched only at the base) covered in bristly hairs; stems are frequently reddish-brown. The leaves are distinctive: rounded to kidney-shaped (reniform), 1.5–6 cm broad, with toothed or crenate margins, and borne on long petioles. Leaves are green (sometimes with reddish phases) and covered in short bristly hairs.

The most striking feature is the flower: bisexual, cup- to globe-shaped, with five overlapping petals 15–30 mm long. Petals are rose-pink to lilac or purplish-pink, each featuring a prominent dark red-to-purple spot at the base that serves as a nectar guide for pollinators. When fully open, the petals curve slightly inward, forming a nearly spherical “lantern” shape (hence the occasional nickname “Chinese lantern flower”). The center reveals a ring of light pink stigmas surrounding smaller stamens. The calyx has 5 lobes, and three small bractlets subtend it. After flowering, the plant produces a schizocarp fruit that splits into 25–35 wafer-like segments.

Note on identification: Do not confuse it with the unrelated “five-spot” (Nemophila maculata), a white-flowered plant of the Sierra Nevada and foothills with purple spots at the petal tips.

Blooming Period and Behavior

The beautiful and delicate flower of the Desert Five Spot Flower. - Photo by James L Rathbun
The beautiful and delicate flower of the Desert Five Spot Flower. – Photo by James L Rathbun

Flowering occurs primarily from March to May, with peak displays in the lower desert elevations from mid-February through mid-April, depending on winter rainfall. In Death Valley National Park, it is a signature wildflower during “superbloom” years (such as the notable events following heavy rains).

The flowers exhibit daily nyctinastic movement: they open in the morning (or midday) to reveal the vivid red spots and close at night or late afternoon. Leaves also show diurnal movement to optimize sunlight exposure. The red basal spots on each petal function as “runways” directing bees and other insects to the nectar at the flower base, aiding pollination. The plant thrives in years with adequate winter precipitation and is one of the more sought-after desert wildflowers for its vivid color contrast against the arid landscape.

Range and Distribution

Eremalche rotundifolia is native to the Mojave Desert and Colorado Desert (part of the Sonoran Desert region) in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. It occurs in southeastern California (including Death Valley National Park and Anza-Borrego Desert State Park), southern Nevada, western Arizona, and extends slightly into Utah. In California it is found primarily in the Desert bioregion (excluding the high Desert Mountains). Elevation range is approximately -50 to 1,500 m (-164 to 4,921 ft), though it is most common between 50 and 1,200 m.

The closed flower of the Desert Five Spot Flower. Photo by James L Rathbun
The closed flower of the Desert Five Spot Flower. Photo by James L Rathbun

Habitat and Ecology

This species prefers open, sunny sites in dry desert scrub, desert flats, sandy or rocky washes, alluvial fans, and open stony areas. It grows best in fast-draining, gravelly alkaline soils and is frequently associated with creosote bush scrub communities. In Death Valley National Park it appears on lower-elevation alluvial fans, foothills, and along roadsides (e.g., Badwater Road areas) following sufficient winter rains.

As an annual, it completes its life cycle quickly after winter rains, producing abundant seeds that remain dormant in the soil until the next favorable season. It provides nectar for native bees and supports larvae of certain butterflies and skippers (including confirmed hosts for Northern White-Skipper and Common Checkered-Skipper).

The desert five-spot is a beautiful and iconic Mojave Desert wildflower, particularly celebrated in Death Valley for its glowing pink blooms and striking red-spotted “lantern” flowers during spring displays. Its presence is highly dependent on winter precipitation, making it a highlight of rare superbloom events.

Pebble Pincusion (Chaenactis carphoclinia)

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Scientific Name: Chaenactis carphoclinia A. Gray (primarily var. carphoclinia in Death Valley and most of its range)

Pebble Pincusion (Chaenactis carphoclinia) Found near Ashford Mill, Death Valley National Park. Photo Heather Rathbun
Pebble Pincusion (Chaenactis carphoclinia) Found near Ashford Mill, Death Valley National Park. Photo Heather Rathbun

Scientific Taxonomy

  • Kingdom: Plantae
  • Clade: Tracheophytes (vascular plants)
  • Clade: Angiosperms (flowering plants)
  • Clade: Eudicots
  • Clade: Asterids
  • Order: Asterales
  • Family: Asteraceae (Sunflower or Daisy family)
  • Genus:Chaenactis (pincushions or dustymaidens)
  • Species:Chaenactis carphoclinia A. Gray

Common names include Pebble Pincushion, Pincushion Flower, and Straw-bed Pincushion. Two varieties exist: the widespread var. carphoclinia (smaller plant, common in Death Valley) and the rarer var. peirsonii (larger, limited to southern California’s Santa Rosa Mountains).

Description

Pebble Pincushion is a native annual forb/herb that grows from an erect, branching stem (usually one main stem) reaching 4–16 inches (10–40 cm) tall, occasionally up to 2 feet (60 cm) in favorable conditions. The stems are whitish-pubescent (hairy).

Leaves are green, mostly linear, and pinnately dissected or lobed (basal leaves highly divided and wither early; cauline leaves smaller with slender petioles), up to 4–10 cm long.

The inflorescence consists of 1–several small discoid flower heads (no ray flowers) per stem, each 0.25–1 cm wide. Heads feature white to pinkish-tinted disk florets with enlarged outer corollas and prominently exserted (protruding) anthers. Flat, sharp-pointed phyllaries (bracts) line the heads and often appear reddish. The fruit is a small achene tipped with a scaly pappus.

The plant resembles other desert Chaenactis species (e.g., Esteve’s Pincushion), but is generally smaller with multiple cream-to-white heads per stem.

Blooms

As a desert annual, Pebble Pincushion germinates after winter rains and blooms primarily in spring (January/February/March through May or June, depending on elevation and rainfall). In Death Valley, it is a signature species during “superbloom” years, often peaking in March–April alongside other desert annuals. The flowers are visited by bees, butterflies, and other small insects for nectar and pollen.

Range and Habitat

Pebble Pincushion is native to the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. Its range spans Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Baja California, and Sonora—primarily in the Mojave Desert, with extensions into the Sonoran Desert, southern Great Basin, and northwestern Chihuahuan Desert. Elevations range from 300–6,200 feet (90–1,900 m).

It thrives in rocky, gravelly, or sandy soils, including washes, open plains, mesas, slopes, and flats within desert shrublands. In Death Valley National Park, it is commonly found in gravelly washes and rocky areas (e.g., near Emigrant Pass, Badwater, and Mosaic Canyon), where it can form dense displays after sufficient winter precipitation. Seeds may be consumed by birds, small mammals, and desert tortoises.

Pebble Pincushion growing in typical Death Valley habitat—gravelly washes with mixed desert annuals under clear desert skies.

This hardy annual plays a key role in desert ecosystems as a quick-response bloomer that stabilizes soil and supports pollinators and wildlife following rainy periods.