The state of California in the U.S. had one of the wettest winters in history. The deluge was intense, uncontrollable, and in some cases, disastrous. But as the storms subsided, a magnificent “superbloom” emerged. Arizona and California are dotted with a beautiful flurry of flowers.
This new explosion of color is the area’s first superbloom since 2019. The hillsides are awash with flowers: miles of golden dandelions, pink filaree, and blue and purple verbena, form the perfect picturesque backdrop for visitors.
This emergence of colorful and vibrant colors is so widespread that it can be seen from space. It’s a fantastic transformation from large tracts of brown and barren landscapes.
What’s a superbloom
Currently, superblooms don’t have a scientific definition. However, a superbloom is a cultural rarity that occurs when people decide that there are enough flowers at one time in one place.
Naomi Fraga, a director of conservation at California Botanic Garden in Claremont, describes it as a beautiful natural phenomenon when several wildflowers bloom simultaneously.
“You have a great diversity, an abundance of many different wildflower species, all flowering, creating bright patches of color on the landscape where they become the dominant feature,” she said.
How do superblooms happen
Botanists may not have a scientific definition of a superbloom, but they understand how it happens. Wildflowers usually lay dormant as seeds in the ground, waiting for a rainy season and the ideal conditions.
The seeds are durable, and if the climate is too dry, they will stay beneath the soil — sometimes for years. In this case, the state has experienced over three years of severe drought followed by one of the most intense floods. According to the National Weather Service, 78 trillion gallons of water flowed in California alone.
These large amounts of precipitation soaked much of the state, creating the optimum conditions for a wildflower superbloom. Cooler temperatures also contributed to this remarkable event from mother nature.
Experts believe the three-year drought also reduced the amount of invasive grass in the area. So when the wildflowers and California poppies started blooming, they had a chance to thrive.
It isn’t easy to know how long a superbloom will last or when it will return. But it started in February, experienced its peak in April, and experts believe it will begin to fall from June to July.
Enjoy the superbloom
Superblooms are massive attractions that attract thousands of tourists and nature enthusiasts. Tourists can get a fantastic view from sites like Mount Tamalpais, China Camp, Sugarloaf Ridge, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, and more.
Parks and Rec staff encourage visitors to use apps like iNaturalist to learn more about wildflowers and California poppy species. Knowing more about the flowers, their relationships, coexistence, and life cycles may help people appreciate the flora even more.
California is a land of duality and climatic extremes. Julie Kalansky, a climate scientist, says the state goes “back-and-forth between extreme dry and extreme wet.”
Evidence shows that native tribes cherished these blossoming flowers that followed extreme droughts. In the past, superblooms probably happened every decade, and people, plants, and animals adapted to these changes.
These climatic cycles continue today, but the landscape is not the same hundreds of years later because of human-related changes. However, the superblooms are perfect moments to appreciate the unpredictability of nature and all that it offers. The remarkable scenery of flowers is picturesque, spiritually fulfilling, and emotionally satisfying.
Destroying the very thing we cherish
Thousands of visitors have thronged parks across California, but there are concerns that they may destroy these beautiful landscapes. Following a 2017 superbloom, some areas were killed by people walking off the designated trails and creating “social trails that are still visible.” This is according to Jorge Moreno, a California Department of Parks and Recreation member.
According to experts, centuries ago, the superblooms had a wider variety of wildflowers and were several times larger. As a result, there has been an intense debate on how to let people enjoy the superbloom without damaging it. But for now, park and rec staff are asking people to enjoy the great outdoors with care — leave the flowers alone.
Trampling or plucking flowers may destroy them before seeds are formed. Walking on undesignated areas may trample the ground, making it more difficult for the flowers to germinate. Experts believe if visitors aren’t mindful, there will be consequences.
“It’s not just for our enjoyment or the display. It’s life happening. We must know that this flower isn’t the end goal for that life cycle to continue. The end goal is the seed,” said Naomi Fraga.
