USA/CA: Death Valley NP – Wildflower Superbloom of ’05

Death Valley is famous for its spectacular spring wildflower displays that don’t happen every year, but rather once in 5-10 years – a phenomenon known as “superbloom”. The wildflower season depends on the availability of sufficient rain in December for the seeds to germinate successfully, otherwise they can lie dormant in the desert sands for years. The 2005 corresponded to an El Nino phenomenon that transformed many southwestern deserts and Death Valley in particular into an incredible color carpet of gold, purple, pink and white. Desert Gold (Geraea canescens) covered the entire Badwater Basin and all the surrounding hills.