Death Valley in California is now covered with colorful wildflowers in bloom: What to know
Death Valley, the hottest area of America, is exploding with color and experiencing a "high concentration of blooming flowers", the National Park Service (NPS) stated on their website.
Although many are calling this a super bloom, this has yet to be officially confirmed.
While wildflowers can pop up in the valley every year, a super bloom is a rare and special treat that attracts different pollinators, like butterflies, moths, bees and hummingbirds, that may not have visited Death Valley otherwise, states the National Park's website.
"A good wildflower year depends on at least three things: Well-spaced rainfall throughout the fall, winter, and spring, sufficient warmth from the sun and lack of drying winds," says the NPS.
Apparently, 2024 had exactly what the dry valley needed to fill it with gold, purple, pink or white flowers.
When was the last super bloom in Death Valley?
According to NPS, the last three super blooms occurred in the following years:
- 2016
- 2005
- 1998
What is a super bloom?
Super blooms in Death Valley are rare events that happen around once every 10 years. They can occur anywhere, but when conditions are just right, "carpets" of wildflowers form all over Death Valley.
What makes a super bloom?
In order for a super bloom to happen, the NPS states there needs to be at least half an inch of rain, which washes off the seed's protective coating. Then, for those seeds to grow, rainstorms need to occur at an even interval between winter and spring.
"The best blooms are triggered by an early, winter-type rainstorm in September or October, followed by an El Niño weather pattern that brings above average rainfall to the Desert Southwest," states the NPS' website.
Super blooms also need winds that dry out the soil to remain at bay. According to its website, frequent windstorms that are not accompanied by rain will dehydrate the soil and the plants before they get a chance to bloom.
Can I pick wildflowers at Death Valley?
No. In a national park, regulations prohibit people from picking wildflowers that might produce seeds for the following wildflower season.
What is Death Valley?
Death Valley is not only the hottest but the lowest and driest point in all of America, according to Britannica, which is part of the reason why the super blooms are so rare and need absolutely perfect conditions to occur.
The national park is located in southeastern California, and is about two hours west of Las Vegas.
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