Wildflowers near the Piedra Lisa Trail Head

Here by the Piedra Lisa Trail Head, the terrain can be inhospitable. Our house sinks its foundation walls into solid granite and what soil there is made up primarily of decomposed granite with some pinon, juniper, and cedar cones, bark, needles and decomposing branches. In spite of this, ever ebullient nature is putting on quite a show for what passes for springtime in the desert along the trails and mountain roads.  Here are a few photos.  If I know the names of the plants I will label them, but I am still learning about the landscape and flora of this place so perhaps my readers can identify them in the comment section below?  My friend, Celia, is a wildflower guru, so I am hoping she will help.

Apache Plume

Claret cup cactus

Very fragrant small bush with white flowers with four petals.

Fleabane

Wild Verbena?

Primrose

Iris

Some kind of pea?

Perky Sue

Indian Paintbrush

Statice or maybe Scorpion Flower-although the stems are not as fuzzy as the scorpion flower was described (Not sure if this is a native or not)

Left - Cholla  Right- Yucca

Penstemon spreading by seed throughout our property.  The iris was transplanted from the arroyo bed that run through our land to the south.  Don't think this is a wild variety, but one planted by the ranchers who originally owned this land.

Yucca

Penstemon or Lupin?

Agave neomexicana getting ready to bloom-which means it will die and in the foreground are California poppies

Wild verbena, Rudbeckia, and chocolate flower

Prickly Pear Cactus

Cholla reaching for the moon

Chocolate Flowers (yellow), Globe Mallow (orange), Prairie Flea Bane (white)

Penstemon digitalis 'Precious Gem' in the foreground? (only one stem...maybe imported by a bird)