The Desert Lily Sanctuary is in a serene desert setting with the Palen McCoy, Eagle and Chuckwalla Mountains in the distance.
Because of its history of spectacular bloom displays, and for the protection of the desert lily, the Desert Lily Sanctuary was selected for protection in 1968. The desert lily, which resembles a small version of the Easter lily, prefers dry, sandy flats below 2,000 feet in elevation. The plant's bulb may lie dormant for many years waiting for ideal conditions to bloom. In wet spring months, when the amount of moisture, sunlight and temperature are right, the stem sprouts from a bulb buried 18 to 24 inches underground. The mature plants may be several feet tall with blossoms approximately 2 inches long.
The best time to visit the Desert Lily Sanctuary is February through April. It is hard to predict when the finest displays will be, as this depends on the previous month's weather conditions.
Original public domain image from Flickr