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Wildflower displays depend on rain and El Nino has given us a very wet winter. Here are some excellent wildflower destinations to consider for this spring.

Southeast

The wildflower season starts in February in Florida and is at its peak in June in Georgia and South Carolina. This is where you will look for moisture-loving plants like pitcher plants, water hyacinths, and bromeliads. Head for the cypress swamps and freshwater bogs and marshes. A good destination in Florida would be Big Cypress National Preserve (941-695-4111) in south Florida and Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge (912-496-7836) in Georgia.

California Southern Deserts

The wildflower display in wet years can be legendary in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park (760-767-4205). The prime time is usually March and April. Near the visitor center wildflowers are identified for you. Palm Canyon Oasis near the visitor center is also a good area for flowering cactus, indigo bush, California fuchsia, desert lavender, fireweed, monkey flower, penstemons, desert mallow, pincushion, phacelia and more. Look for wildflowers in the washes were you might find desert asters. Along the edges of the badlands you may find desert lilies. Coyote Canyon in the Borrego Springs area is good for ocotillo. The Cactus Loop Trail and the Yaqui Well Nature Trail near the Tamarisk Grove Campground are both excellent places for flowering cactus and wildflowers. Hawk Canyon and Borrego Buttes off Route 78 in the east-central section off Route 78 is good for lupines, desert lilies, desert sunflowers and ghost flowers. Indian Gorge off S2 in the southern section is good for monkey flowers, desert poppy, ghost flower, rock hibiscus and larkspur.

March, April and May are the best times for wildflowers in Joshua Tree National Park (760-367-7511)Indian Cove at the north end of the park is an excellent place for wildflowers especially along the nature trail at the west side of the campground. March is the prime time to photograph the white blooms of the Joshua Trees in the northern section.

Antelope Valley north of Los Angeles is another legendary wild flower area. Here you will find fields of golden California poppies. Other wildflowers you might find in the area include filaree, owl's clover, red maids, gilia and goldfields. The bloom can begin in mid-March and last through mid-May but the best time is usually mid-April.

Southern Arizona Deserts

Spring is the best time for wildflowers in Saguaro National Park (520-733-5108) near Tucson. March has the most variety with penstemon, brittlebush, fairy duster and desert marigold in bloom. The ocotillo and paloverde trees blooms in April. Prickly pear cactus bloom in April. The desert canyons are carpeted with lavender ironwood in late May. The giant saguaro cactus start blooming in early May and run through June.

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument (520-387-6849) is located in southern Arizona just north of the Mexican boarder. A wet winter guarantees a grand display of poppies, lupines, and owl clover. The bloom generally starts in March or April. Ocotillo will be blooming March through early April and paloverde put forth their blossoms in late April and early May. The giant organ pipe, saguaro and other cactus show their blossoms in May or June. Hedgehog peak in April.

Southern Utah

Spring is a good time to photograph wildflowers in Capitol Reef National Park (801-425-3791), especially along the Fremont River. The first part of April is good time to photograph the flowering fruit trees.

In Zion National Park (801-722-3256) wildflowers bloom along the wetter portions of the valley. In late February through March you can find sand buttercup, clematis, gilia, monkeyflower, columbine, shooting star, loarkspur, phlox and paintbrush. In late spring beavertail and prickly pear cactus bloom.

California

California's Gold Country in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada has a wonderful display of wildflowers in April and May. In the area of James town take Rawhide Road to Table Mountain or Redhill Road near Chinese Camp. From about mid-March and into April Daffodil Hill just before Volcano will be covered with its namesake.

In Yosemite National Park (209-372-0200) wildflowers bloom at the lower elevations April, May and June. The snowplant is the first to poke up through the snow in spring. In April and May you will find lupine near the Wawona Hotel. In May the dogwood trees will be in bloom in the Valley. In March and April the roads through the foothills to Yosemite will be covered with goldfields, meadowfoam, baby blue-eyes, and brodiaea or blue lupine Indian pinks, and redbud.

The northern redwood coast of California is an excellent area for azalea in May through early June.

Chimney Rock at Point Reyes (415-663-1092) is a popular destination in late March and early April. Here you can photograph lupine, wild iris, mariposa lilies, California poppies, owl'sclover, tidytips, mission bells and goldfields.

The Hunter Liggett area near King City is best mid-March through mid-April when fields of owl's clover and lupines are in bloom.

Texas

From mid-March to mid-May you can expect to find carpets of bluebonnets and yellow mustard in Big Bend National Park (915-477-2251) with the peak season mid-April. In late March and April the giant dagger flowers bloom in Dagger Flats, Panther Junction and Elna and Boquillas Canyon.

The wildflower in Texas Hill Country around Austin is another legendary destination. The prime wildflower season is March, April and May but it is April when the bluebonnets reach their peak and the display is spectacular.

Appalachians

From late April through the end of June is a good time for wildflowers with mountain laurel, wild azaleas, and rhododendrons putting on a spectacular show. In Great Smoky Mountain National Park (423-436-1200) the blooming season starts in late April at the lower elevations and moves to the higher elevation through early June. Some flowers you can expect to find include spring lily, bleeding heart, lady slipper, wind ginger, and trillium. The Balsam Mountain Trail is especially good for wildflowers.

Midwest

May is a good time to find a profusion of golden marsh marigolds along streams and in bogs. Try visiting the Ozark National Forest (501-968-2354) in Arkansas or the Mark Twain National Forest (314-364-4621) in Missouri.

Oregon

The Oregon Coast is a good place to visit in May. This is when you will find the wild rhododendron, monkey flowers, sand verbena, morning glory and many other flowers in bloom. In April the cobra lilies bloom six miles north of Florence at the Darlingtonia Botanical Wayside. May is the best time to visit the Columbia River Gorge, although wildflowers start to bloom as early as late March and April. Some of the flowers you will find here include shooting stars, lupine, larkspur, paintbrush, forget-me-nots, and wild ginger.

Rocky Mountains

The wildflower blooms follows the melting snow and starts at the lower elevations. Look for wildflowers in the lower valleys in late April at Rocky Mountain National Park (970-586-1206).