Those who live in the desert year round don’t have to rely on a superbloom to get their fill of flowers. Lots of native cactus are blooming, native creosote have sprung their yellow flowers along with bladderpod, penstemon and globe mallows all showing off their colors as well.
There’s another desert native that’s pretty common around the basin, but it truly doesn’t stand out until its in full bloom. The Parry’s Nolina (Nolina parryi) is a green leafy puffball of a plant, with long flexible leaves that set it apart from something like a Yucca or a Joshua Tree. Both of those have a more rigid leaf that ends in needle-sharp points.
The Parry’s Nolina is a bit friendlier to get up close to, and the examples around here in the hi-desert ten to stay low to the ground but can get quite large. They sort of look like leafy green “fry guys” if you are of a certain age or maybe an art deco pom pom. They like elevations above 6000 feet but you can find them in all parts of the hi-desert, and right now you can see them in all stages of bloom on the Chapparosa Peak Trail in the Pioneertown Mountains Preserve. The 3.3 mile varied terrain hike to the peak has some rocky switchbacks with Parry’s Nolina dotted alongside the trail. The trail isn’t a loop though, so you’ll double your miles on the way back.
You may recognize the Parry’s Nolina in it’s late spring or summertime form when a stalk comes out of the base plant and grows a giant cream colored cone-shaped flower. The flowers eventually dry out and have a distinct sound as the flowers shake in summer winds.
These stalks and flowers can grow as large as 12 feet tall according to the national park service, which is why it’s a treat to see them up close. There are some just emerging from the base plant and they look almost like an elongated artichoke. Some further up the trail and in rocks are already sprouting flowers. Pioneertown Mountains Preserve Ranger Mitchell Schlickenmayer told me that they have noticed that the tarantula hawk seems to be particularly attracted to the flowers of the Parry’s Nolina. The tarantula hawk is a large wasp that preys on its namesake, but its best to keep your distance as a human, too.
You can go see them yourself in the Pioneertown Mountains Preserve which is located right off Highway 247 and Pipes Canyon Road.
