Ocotillo, Poppies and Lupines
The distinctive branching form of an ocotillo rises above a desert floor filled with yellow poppies and purple Arizona lupines. The yellow flowers are likely Parish’s poppy (Eschscholzia parishii) while the purple flowers are Arizona lupine (Lupinus arizonicus), creating bands of contrasting color beneath the strong vertical structure of the ocotillo.
This photograph came out of an overnight car-camping trip in the Anza-Borrego badlands. I have always had a fondness for ocotillo plants—their unusual form, structure and striking outline make them one of the iconic plants of the desert landscape.
Here the ocotillo gave me the strong shape I wanted above a ground layer of yellow poppies and purple lupines. The yellow flowers were most likely Parish’s poppy (Eschscholzia parishii), which was common in the area, while the purple flowers were Arizona lupine (Lupinus arizonicus). The combination of that distinctive desert structure with the two contrasting flower colors is what drew me to the scene.