PHOENIX — Wildflowers are beginning to bloom in the Valley, and will soon paint the lower deserts in vibrant spring colors.
Rain gauges in the Valley are above average as of early March, thanks to rounds of rain this winter. The much needed rainfall is helping wildflowers bloom as temperatures warm.
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: ¿Dónde y cuándo podrá ver las flores silvestres de Arizona este año?
Arizona flourished last year with a rare "superbloom."
"Research has shown that the superbloom events occur maybe once every 10 years so it is a rare event," Angelica Elliot, who helps oversee public horticulture at the Desert Botanical Garden, said.
12 News Weather Watches captured fields of flowers all across the state 48. Thanks to the right combination of factors — dry winters followed by a wet winter — the soil was primed for seeds to sprout.
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"In order for us to get these spectacular blooms rain is really key," Elliot said.
Because Arizona saw a superbloom last year, it's not likely there will be a repeat. However, she said, "I think it's gonna be a really good year to see wildflowers in the desert." While it may not be a superbloom, the rain the Valley got this winter will still help paint the lower deserts in vibrant spring colors.
Where are the best places near the Valley to see wildflowers?
"Picacho Peak State Park. That's one of those parks that you can see from the road the blankets of poppies blooming," Michelle Thompson, with Arizona State Parks and Trails, said.
Lost Dutchmann is another popular place to enjoy the blooms.
"A car load of people will get you into those parks for $7. Really on the low end," Thompson said.
Common wildflowers that bloom in the lower deserts include brittlebrush, lupins, and globe mallows.
March and April are the best months in the Valley to see the poppies popping. Higher elevations will see flowers closer to May, and those blooms continue into summer.
"Enjoy the flowers, take pictures of the flowers, but stay on the trail and don't pick the flowers. Anything you pick now means that you won't have flowers in the future," Thompson said.
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