Birthday
HydrangeasA desert seems the least likely place for flowers, yet in some years arid plains turn into multicoloured carpets for a few weeks. This is called a superbloom. It does not happen every year and depends on rainfall, so seeing one is a real stroke of luck for travellers and photographers.
Bright flowers delivered: tulips and spray roses.
Why deserts bloom
Seeds of annual plants lie in desert soil for years. Many have tough coats and chemicals that stop them germinating after a light shower. Only when enough rain falls at the right time do they sprout en masse. These ephemeral plants grow, flower and set seed within a few weeks while the soil is still moist.
Where to see it
- Atacama Desert (Chile) is one of the driest places on Earth. In years of unusually heavy rain, often linked to El Niño, it produces the desierto florido, the “flowering desert”, in pink, purple and yellow.
- California (USA): Anza-Borrego and Death Valley are famous for superblooms after wet winters; one of the best known was in Death Valley in 2016.
- Namaqualand (South Africa): every southern spring, in August and September, the semi-desert is covered in orange and white daisies.
Which plants bloom
Different deserts produce different flowers: poppies, lupins, phacelias, evening primroses, wild sunflowers, countless daisies and succulents. Many are relatives of garden flowers; gazania, for example, comes from the dry regions of southern Africa and is prized in gardens for its drought tolerance.
How to behave among the flowers
- Stay on the trails: the plants are fragile and footprints in desert soil take years to heal.
- Do not pick flowers; every plant needs to set seed for the next bloom.
- Take water, a hat and sunscreen: even in bloom, a desert is still a desert.
- Check park updates: timing varies every year with the rains.
Closer to home
Ukraine also has places where fields and steppes are briefly covered in flowers in spring, from poppy fields to steppe peonies and feather grass. See the most beautiful flower fields in the world and in Ukraine in “Flower fields: where to see them”, and flower festivals in “World flower festivals”.
FAQ
How often does the Atacama bloom?
Irregularly, in years of heavy rain, sometimes several years apart.
When is the best time to see a superbloom?
Usually in spring in the relevant hemisphere, but exact timing depends on rainfall, so follow park updates.
View full-size photo
Author: Maria Svitlovir
Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.
