Listen here:
Spring has sprung and it’s already busier in the basin. And as the days continue to creep toward those perfect temperatures, you are going to hear more and more about wildflowers and where to go to catch an eyeful of the abundant colors that have been popping out of the ground all month.
And while locals and park officials may be reticent to use the possibly-cursed term “superbloom” – the promise of peeping those little pops of color will certainly draw people from all over to the hi-desert and of course, the National Park.
Joshua Tree National Park Interpretive Ranger Donovan Smith was talking wildflowers, spring weather and park visitation when he called into the Up Close Show last Friday. He had some good tips for visitors who may not be familiar with some of the hi-desert’s most ubiquitous residents – namely the cholla cactus.
The park has dozens of cacti unique to the Mojave – but the “jumping” cholla has earned a nickname due to its uncanny ability to seem to leap onto your arms, legs and anything else that they can get their spiny little hooks into. Here’s Ranger Donovan Smith:
“Those spines are barbed so they can go in really easy like a fish hook but they hurt like heck to get them out”
Cholla don’t get too tall and while they aren’t blooming in the early spring months, they eventually sprout amazing pink, orange and chartreuse flowers once the temperatures rise. But these little unassuming cacti area easy to brush up on while hiking around the park or looking for that perfect Instagram:
Ranger Smith: “They don’t pose a threat at all as long as you keep your distance and stay on trail.”
Pay particular attention when you are trying to get that group photo and keep inching backward to fit everyone into the frame… you may find yourself backing into a big ball of needles that isn’t much fun to get out of. But if you are a visitor to the desert, eventually a cute little cacti is gonna get its barbs in you. Before you head out in search of those spring annuals, Ranger Donovan Smith says to bring a few simple things:
Ranger Donovan Smith: “Often things like combs or tweezers can be helpful. Those cholla… when they go in there you just need to quickly pop them out, and sometimes you can use a ‘tooth comb’ to sort of ‘fling’ them out, or tweezers are good to carry around as well.”
You can listen to the full interview with Ranger Smith along with a conversation with National Park Superintendent Jane Rodgers on “The Up Close Show” podcast – or stay tuned to your Z107.7 local news for more tips and tidbits about spring in the park.
