Skip to main content

Spring Has Arrived in Arizona

 Spring arrived in earnest about two weeks ago to the Arizona desert with temperatures soaring into the low 80's F and spring leaves returning to the trees.  Winter is a beautiful time in the desert with plenty of wintering birds and temperatures that allow for more than average outdoor fun.  Spring brings with it the rising temperatures, wildflowers, spring blooms, and birds beginning their long migration back to their northern homes.


Green Leaves on Fig Tree

My fig tree is again sporting green leaves.  I don't honestly believe that fig trees are supposed to lose all their leaves in the winter.  Each year, I try to protect my tree, green leaves begin to multiply in the late winter only to suddenly drop them all when we get a cooler night.  When we hit true spring weather, the fig tree always seems to return and it makes me smile to see the sudden sprout of green filling the branches once more.


Lime Tree Bloom

Spring is also time for citrus trees to flower.  Citrus is in bloom and the sweet smell of orange, lemon, and lime flowers fill the air.  I have a lemon and a lime tree in my backyard.  I keep looking for the white blooms each day since I know that seeing the flower buds means that I need to remove all the fruit still on the tree.  The result is bags of lemons and limes ready for freezing or giving away and the lovely smell of flowers on the spring breeze.  


Bird Looks Out From Saguaro

I came upon the other sure sign of true spring just last week.  The geese can be heard overhead returning north and birds that will remain longer are laying claim to their nesting homes in a saguaro cactus.  The nesting holes in the soaring cacti are used year after year by a variety of birds.  Woodpeckers are probably the most common but a huge assortment of birds are fully comfortable among the long needles of the saguaro.  Chirps can be heard coming from the many nests and parents soar with ease and perfect aim into their temporary desert home.  Very soon young birds will begin to peek their heads out and explore their world.  



While my weeks seem to get busier and busier, I still try to venture out at least once a week to explore as all too soon temperatures will touch 100 F and then my journeys will have to be kept to short early morning trips.  Until then, I will enjoy the spring weather and the young birds that will soon begin to spread their wings and fly.


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Uses For Jujubes - Red Dates

Uses For Jujubes - Red Dates  Last week, I talked about the hungry sparrows feasting among my jujube trees.  Apparently many have not heard of a jujube or red date before and are curious what to do with them besides just eating them from the tree.  Just to recap in case you have not read my previous post, when mostly yellowish in color they taste a little like a dry apple.  They get sweeter as they turn a reddish color and as they turn completely red and start to wrinkle slightly, they are closer to a raisin or a date.   No matter how you eat them, don't forget that there is a pit in the center.  I find that cutting them close to the pit around each side is the easiest way to rid the fruit of the pit. The Varied Uses of Jujubes The light green to yellow jujubes are easily shredded and used any time apples are called for.  I have used them in breads, muffins, and mixed with pear or apples for a fruit crisp when shredded right from the tree.  ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Cacti Flowers in Arizona

The rather spiky cactus is closely associated with Arizona and our desert landscape.   Late April and early May are blessed with cacti flowers that dot the desert with color.  From small landscaping cacti to the towering saguaro , blooms in many colors adorn the desert and residential landscapes around Phoenix. Many homeowners use slow-growing cacti as landscaping around the home.  A single cactus plant needs very little water, can easily handle our 100 degree days, and in general, needs almost zero care.  Each spring, they will burst into bloom and brighten a front or back yard.  The size of the cactus plant doesn't determine whether or not they will bloom.  Some cacti stay very tiny for their entire lives while others tower many feet tall.  This tiny cactus easily grows in a pot and displays a ring of beautiful pink flowers each spring.  This cactus is really only the size of a grapefruit yet blooms year after year never really getting not...
Post a Comment
Read more

Grackles Command the Backyard

  The grackle is one of the larger birds that I see frequenting my backyard.  They do not tend to go to the feeder thankfully as I imagine that they would make quite a mess.  They will, however, peck in the grass and on occasion eat the jujube fruit dropped by the sparrows.  As I explained in an earlier post , the sparrows seem playful and happy in their fruit feast.  The grackles however become very territorial and if they find a fruit that they claim as their own, they will continue picking it up and flying here and there until they feel they are safe from thieves and then very quickly eat.   I will admit that the grackle was one of my most disliked birds in Arizona until my daughter began pointing out all the interesting things about this bird.  My dislike stemmed from a large ficus tree that we had in the backyard of a former home.  The grackles would nest in the tree in the evening and would make so much noise that I would need to close...
Post a Comment
Read more