C) Varner Road, north of Interstate 10, between Date Palm Dr. and Ramon Rd.
Conditions need to be just right for spring wildflowers to appear. Seeds can lie dormant for 10 years or more waiting for the right conditions required for germination, including:
Fall rain needed first to dissolve most seed coats of their protective coatings
Spring rain is needed for seeds to swell and germinate with plenty of water to survive their brief appearance
Temperatures have to be just right, within a few degrees
Wind (and also temperature) can quickly desiccate seeds or destroy new blossoms before they have a chance to reproduce
In some desert areas, it is estimated that up to 10,000 seeds can be "waiting for the right conditions" in just one square meter of desert!
Photo: M. Hedgecock, 2005