Desert Peach is the first to bloom here. It's part of the prune family, attracts bees and is wonder-fully fragrant. Whole banks explode in pink as this bush struts its stuff.
The color ranges from a light pastel to a hot bubble gum pink - don't know if it's a matter of different soils or different plants. It's showy and short lived, about two weeks, and after the blooms fade, little peach-like fruits start to appear. They must not taste good -the birds don't touch them.
The plants are covered in long spikes that are wicked sharp. Click for big. They'll tear your clothes and you too. That said, the sheep and llamas think they're delectable.
Just as the pink begins to fade, the Bitter-brush, a member of the rose family, begins to bloom and sometimes, alongside a lingering peach. It's always a treat to see them in bloom together. I don't know where bitterbrush got its name, as our sheep and llamas love it too.
The blossoms are tiny and the brilliant color is from the mass of them. These shrubs also bloom for about two weeks and then they return to ignominy.
Mormon Tea (ephedra) produces beige as a dye plant - blah.
Lupine, Indian Paintbrush and wild phlox.
Brown's peony, the only peony native to the Western US.
The blossom which hangs down and does not display.
And this is my favorite pink, any month of the year! For more colors of the month, checkout Sue's blog
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11 comments:
I agree about your favorite pink!!! Very cute picture!
I'm so surprised that you have lupine there!! I really had never seen it before I moved to NH, and I know it's big in Canada. I somehow would have expected it to be way too dry out your way for it.
I love the combo of the desert peach flowers and the powdery green color (of maybe sagebrush?). That's beautiful.
Thanks for joining in with your colors!! I really enjoy seeing the contrast!!
Sue
Aent' the colors of nature beautiful!!! Your pictures are amazing and so is your cute grand daughter.
Such a wonderful variety. Lupines are one of my favourite wild flowers. Such interesting plants and the last pink is the best!
This is so beautiful, all those colors in the desert! You sure live in a very interesting place!
This 'colours of the month' thing is so great, because you can see the differences in colours and nature all over the world! Your nature is so different from ours.
Granddaughters are always sweet. Yours certainly is!
So incredibly beautiful and so very different! We'll get Lupines later in the summer and our spring colours can be bright almost to the point of garishness, not the soft colours you have. Thank you so much for sharing something I'd not even imagined before. Brilliant piccy of your granddaughter by the way.. fabulous
We have lupine here too, it's starting to bloom a little lower down, but hopefully soon we'll have the dogwoods and some other things blooming. I have seen a few little wild stawberries blooming.
Great pictures, and that's one adorable pink!
I have desert peach towels on my AVL right now. Nice to have a name for the color. The pictures are beautiful - and especially the last with grandaughter in pink hat. Enjoy the brief spring; I think summer is going to be upon us before we know it.
I think it's interesting that the sheep and llamas will eat fruit that the birds don't like - I really didn't think there was a fruit that the birds wouldn't eat. Have you tried these peaches, or are that inedible for humans?
Love the colors though. With all the rocky soil and brown in the background, those colors and flowers stand out.
love your may colors!!!!! so beautiful!
Ah, so desert peach is a real plant! Not sure why I didn't think it was. It was just the name of Mim's farm.
I love lupine. It was one of my favorite spring flowers when we lived in Texas.
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