Hike Distance: 3.4 miles
Pushawalla Palms Trail is located in the Indio Hills of the 17,000 acre Coachella Valley Preserve Area, home to the Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard and the spectacular Thousand Palm Oasis.
There is interesting geology in this area but the focus of today's hike was to be on the wild flowers in full bloom along the trail.
Desert gold, also known as the desert sunflower, lined the entire trail. These desert annuals grow, flower, produce seeds and then die. The seeds lie dormant until winter and spring rains provide favorable conditions for growth.
The desert dandelion, a member of the sunflower family, grows 6 to 14 inches high. It's amazing how back home in New England these weeds are pulled from yards but in the desert we appreciate their beauty.
A few views of wild flowers growing along the trail.
The delicate pedals of the desert chicory are found throughout the southwestern deserts of the US. The edges of the petals look like combs.
Desert sand verbena produce large, dense clumps of pink/purple flowers. The flowers appears as a mat that can grow up to 20 inches across after winter rain. Both stems and leaves of the desert sand verbena grow close to the ground and are often partly obscured by grass or sand.
Purple desert lupine lined many sections of the trail.
Delicate brown-eyed primrose grow in among other annuals in the sandy washes.
It was a quick 3 mile hike but well worth it to see the beginning of the 2019 Superbloom.
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