Overview
Arizona's wildflower season starts low and early, with desert annuals blooming from February into April, then climbs into the mountains through summer. In years with well-timed winter rain, the desert floor around Phoenix, Tucson, and the Superstition Mountains fills with color.
This guide covers common and iconic Arizona wildflowers — how to recognize them and when they bloom. Photograph the flower and leaves and use the app to confirm any bloom you find.
Key Species to Know
Desert Marigold
Baileya multiradiata
A tidy mound of woolly gray leaves topped by bright yellow daisy flowers on long stalks, blooming much of the year after rain. A roadside staple across the desert.
Brittlebush
Encelia farinosa
A rounded shrub with silvery leaves that covers itself in yellow daisy flowers on tall stems each spring, painting whole hillsides gold.
Desert Globemallow
Sphaeralcea ambigua
A gray-green subshrub with cup-shaped apricot-orange flowers lining its stems. Common along desert roads and washes after wet winters.
Desert Lupine
Lupinus sparsiflorus
Spikes of pea-like blue-purple flowers above palm-shaped leaves, often mixing with poppies and brittlebush for a blue-and-gold display.
Owl's Clover
Castilleja exserta
A low annual with dense, feathery pink-purple flower spikes that can turn desert flats magenta. A close relative of the paintbrushes.
Fairy Duster
Calliandra eriophylla
A low, lacy-leaved shrub with pink powder-puff flowers of long stamens, giving a soft, feathery look. A favorite of hummingbirds.
Seasonal Guide
- February–April: peak desert-floor bloom around Phoenix, Tucson, and the low deserts after wet winters.
- April–June: blooming climbs into the foothills and higher desert.
- Summer monsoon (July–September) triggers a second, later flush of desert flowers.
Safety Reminder
Stay on trails and leave flowers for others and for next year's seed — picking is prohibited in most parks and preserves. Carry water and watch for cactus and spiny shrubs. This guide is for identification and enjoyment, not foraging.
Identify it instantly
Found something and not sure what it is? Point your camera with Spotter and get a species identification in seconds — with detailed reference info and species notes.