What to Know
- Wildflower season around the California deserts often begins in January, depending on the location
- The Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve has put the call out for 2024 volunteers; the must-attend training sessions are set for early February
- The tip-packed Theodore Payne Foundation Wildflower Hotline traditionally goes live in March; it is updated each Friday
The fresh year is just getting its bearings, like a newborn fawn gingerly taking its first steps, so talking about something that's still a few months out may seem premature.
It's true that the famous California poppies of the Antelope Valley generally bloom in March and April but wildflowers wait for no one, and certainly not around the California deserts, where goldfields, lupin, desert lilies, and a vibrant variety of colorful cactus flowers begin to make strong showings in January.
If the circumstances are just right, of course.
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And "just right" seems to be the forecast for 2024: The auspicious outlook at DesertUSA, a site that thoroughly tracks blooms around the most epic arid landscapes, shared a positive forecast on Jan. 1.
"It should be a good wildflower year" is the upbeat word from the bloom-tracking pros.
The future is flowery in other quarters of California, too: Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve put out the call for volunteers on Dec. 29, 2023.
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"Do you like wildflowers? Talking to people? Enjoying the beauty of Antelope Valley? Do you want to visit the Poppy Reserve multiple times?"
"If you answered yes to any of these questions consider becoming a Poppy docent."
Two training sessions are coming up in just a month, on Feb. 3 and 10, and prospective docents must attend both events.
You'll also want to check out how many shifts you'll be expected to work during the Poppy Reserve's busiest time, from March 1 through Mother's Day.
Which happens to be the same window for The Flower Fields in Carlsbad.
Nope, the massive spread isn't a place for wildflowers — the spectacular Giant Tecolote Ranunculus blossoms are cultivated — but many a poppy person makes their way to the Technicolor-like Carlsbad attraction in March, April, and the beginning of May.
One more spot where solid wildflower information will sprout starting in March? The Theodore Payne Foundation, a nature-loving organization that has helmed a free Wildflower Hotline for several years.
It's updated weekly and brimming with "go now" locations for wildflower lovers. (So, all of us, basically.)
Happy Wildflower-Season-Is-Really-Basically-Upon-Us-Almost Day to all.
