Superbloom outlook: Will San Diego County’s deserts explode in color this spring?
Amber Coakley
Sun, February 1, 2026
Excerpt: " 'We’re going to have a warmup into the 80s this week,' Rood said. 'A heatwave can ‘doom the bloom.’ Some of the shallow-rooted flowers can get stressed if we warm up too much and/or don’t get another round or two of soaking rain.'
"For a true superbloom to unfold, several pieces need to fall perfectly into place: well-timed rain, mild temperatures, no sudden heat spikes — and no invasions from hungry caterpillars or aggressive plants like Sahara mustard, which 'has been coming back in some areas with a vengeance,' according to Rood.
"Even with the uncertainty, early visitors to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park aren’t leaving disappointed.
"Big, showy wildflowers are already making appearances, including desert sunflowers, desert lilies, sand verbena, dune evening primroses, brown-eyed primroses, datura, and chuparosa. Brittlebushes are poised to light up hillsides soon, while smaller blooms like desert dandelions, poppies, purple phacelia, and desert fivespots are just getting started."
Read more [includes photos]:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/superbloom-outlook-san-diego-county-204527263.html