And just like that, spring is behind us. The first day of summer will be here this weekend. But around the state, we are lacking some of the classic harbingers of the season, and the flowering displays have been notably muted.
On the east side of Tucson where I live, we’ve had a late start to blooming among our iconic saguaro cacti. The precious few Parry’s penstemons that ventured to bloom in my yard this year did so weeks later than usual despite warm temperatures. As well, many of the ocotillos � succulent shrubs that consist of several thin, spiny stems growing skyward � produced their clusters of red tubular flowers without ever putting on any leaves. Out in the flats and foothills, annual plants have been few and far between, and native grasses have largely remained dormant, leaving little food for the small mammals, birds, and reptiles that depend on them. This paltry showing is largely the result of an abnormally dry winter on the heels of a dud of a monsoon last summer.
Dr. Theresa Crimmins, Assoc. Professor, School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona and Director of the USA National Phenology Network. Her recently published book, Phenology, explores how the timing of seasonal activity in plants and animals is affected by climate change. And the Northern Arizona Climate Change Alliance, .
