The April 2025 Roundup from Historic Canoa Ranch

The annual spring floral display depends on many factors, including the level of winter precipitation. When that level is low, it means there will be a reduction in the number and species of flowers we see in the spring. The winter of 2024-2025 was lackluster, unfortunately, and there will not be a great floral show this year.

However, some plants are more reliable bloomers than others, producing flowers in good years and bad. One such plant is brittlebush.

This small shrub is a common inhabitant of desert valleys in Southern Arizona. Brittlebush can be up to 5 feet tall and forms a hemispherical mound because of its dense branching pattern. The yellow flower heads are about 1 inch across and can appear anytime from late winter to the middle of spring.

The leaves of this drought-resistant plant are green but look gray due to the dense coating of hairs that provide shade to the leaf surface and reduce water loss. Brittlebush produces chemicals that inhibit germination of seeds in its vicinity.

Last Month’s Trivia Question: Which native Arizona bird was known in the cagebird industry as Hollywood Finch? 

Answer: In the 1940s, entrepreneurs in southern California began collecting wild finches from the area and shipping them to the East Coast for sale in pet shops, where they were marketed as "Hollywood Finches." This trade lasted several years before the authorities got wind of it. Fearing prosecution, the shop owners released the birds, providing the source for wild populations of these birds in eastern North America. Today, "Hollywood Finches" are better known as House Finches (Haemorhous mexicanus) and their range now spans coast to coast and north into southern Canada.

Question of the Month: What is the pollinator of Southwestern Pipevine?

While we love the beautiful plants that grow and flourish at our ranch, some plants represent a potential threat to the desert ecosystem. The most notorious of these plants is aptly named: stinknet. 

What makes this innocuous-looking plant such a hazard? Stinknet displaces native plants, and infestations spread rapidly. When it dries, it also increases the risk of wildfires and its smoke can cause severe allergic reactions. It's also famous for its unpleasant odor. 

So, how can you help? Learn how to identify stinknet, how to remove it, and how to report it! See the link below for more information. Thank you for doing your part to protect our desert and our community from the harmful effects of this invasive plant.

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