Historic superbloom brings vibrant colors to California’s desert Historic rains create a spectacular superbloom this spring
April 14, 2023, 11:34 AM ET
• 8 min read
April 14, 2023 -- Every spring, California's desert hills explode in vibrant blossoming wildflowers. Due to this winter's historic rainfall, the hills are covered in a "superbloom" of flowers, painting the landscape orange and yellow. Tourists flock to these hills to capture their perfect spring moment.
California's biologically diverse landscapes are home to more than 7,000 species of native plants. The California poppy, or golden poppy, a flowering plant native to the United States and Mexico, became the official state flower in 1903. Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images After multiple storms drenched Southern California, California poppies bloom under the warm sunshine as crowds viewed the poppies and other wildflowers blooming at Chino Hills State Park in Chino Hills, April 8, 2023. Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images Isabella Recio, 4, walks on the trail in a field of California poppies outside the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve State Natural Reserve, April 7, 2023, in Lancaster, CA. Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images A satellite view of the wildflower blooms in Palmdale, Calif., seen from space, April 10, 2023. Steven A Wood/ Maxar Wildflowers bloom near the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve in Lancaster, Calif., April 6, 2023. Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images A woman sets off on her zipline over a superbloom of wildflowers at Skull Canyon Ziplines in Corona, Calif., April 11, 2023. Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images Visitors pose for photos at the poppy fields near the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve in Lancaster, Calif., April 9, 2023. Ringo Chiu/AP Eli Karp walks in a field of blooming poppies near the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, April 10, 2023, in Lancaster, Calif. Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP An aerial view of a field of poppies and other wildflowers near the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve in Lancaster, California, April 13, 2023. Aude Guerrucci/Reuters Sue Schmidt, left, her husband, Rick, and dog Kaiser walk on a field of blooming flowers at near the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, April 10, 2023, in Lancaster, Calif. Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP Jorge Iracheta holds his son Levi, age 2, in the air in a field of California Poppies outside the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve State Natural Reserve, April 7, 2023, in Lancaster, CA. Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images Poppies are in full bloom during sunset in Antelope Valley of Calif., April 11, 2023. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images People take pictures in a field of poppies near the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve in Lancaster, California, April 13, 2023. Aude Guerrucci/Reuters An aerial view of people taking pictures in a field of poppies and other wildflowers near the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve in Lancaster, Calif., April 13, 2023. Aude Guerrucci/Reuters Head to the California Parks Department with their daily updated list on where to witness these super blooms during the peak season.