Orange to Yellow Wildflowers

Spring-blooming, yellow wildflowers.

NPS/CA Hoyt

Mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa). Honey mesquite is a shrub to small tree that is common throughout the park. It blooms in the spring and is laden with long, bean-like pods in the early summer. You might also see screwbean mesquite near springs. Screwbean mesquite is easily distinguished by its twisted seedpods.

Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia sp.). At least 10 species of prickly pear are found in the park. Species are distinguished by spine color, length, and number, and by the color of the flowers. Are the blooms solid yellow? Do they have a red throat? Prickly pears hybridize easily, so being able to identify plants to species can be a challenge.

Desert Marigold (Baileya multiradiata). Nearly any time of year, you can find desert marigolds in bloom in desert washes.

Rock-nettle (Eucnide bartonioides). Rock-nettle is always a surprising blaze of color on steep hills and cliffs. One of the best places to see this wildflower is along the Hot Springs Trail.

Agarito (Berberis trifoliolata). One of our earliest-blooming wildflowers. You'll notice the intense, sweet aroma of the flowers long before you see the plant itself.

Texas Rainbow Cactus (Echinocereus dasyacanthus). The Texas rainbow cactus is a common species throughout the park. It's pretty inconspicuous--until it blooms in March through May. The bright yellow flowers will stop you in your tracks.

 

Yellow wildflowers

NPS/CA Hoyt and J Jurardo

Creosote (Larrea tridentata). The most common shrub in the low desert. Creosote blooms in the spring and sporadically through the summer after rain. The pungent scent of creosote is the smell of desert rainstorms.

Desert Rosemallow (Hibiscus coulteri). The spindly shrubs of desert rosemallow grow primarily in limestone (but you may find them on igneous substrates as well). The delicate yellow flowers are worth seeking out from April through October.

Yellowbells (Tecoma stans). Widespread and common, you'll find yellowbells growing by the side of the road and on hillsides along the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive. Yellowbells bloom April through November.

Goldenball Leadtree (Leucaena retusa). A small tree or shrub that grows in canyons and along the road to the Chisos Basin. Look for them blooming from April through June.

Sotol (Dasylirion leiophyllum). Common perennial in the mid-elevation grasslands of Big Bend. Look for it especially in the foothills of the Chisos Mountains. Sotol flowers in June and July, putting up a long, thin stalk.

Lindheimer's Senna (Senna lindheimeriana). Eight species of senna grow in the park. Many have very similar flowers. The best way to tell the difference is to count the leaves and make note of the habit of the plant. Lindheimer's senna blooms May through October.