Davy's Broad-flowered Gilia
Gilia latiflora ssp. davyi
Davy’s Broad-flowered Gilia is a delicate and colorful wildflower that dots the desert with soft purple blooms in the spring. Despite its small size, its pastel hues make it easy to spot against the sand and rock.
Appearance:
A low-growing annual, typically just a few inches tall. It forms a small, leafy base and sends up short stems topped with wide, trumpet-shaped flowers. The blossoms are light purple to lavender with a pale or white throat, often with subtle markings. The flowers are broad for a Gilia, giving it its name.
Habitat:
Found in sandy or gravelly desert soils—especially flats, washes, and low hills. Common in the Mojave Desert, particularly in southeastern California and adjacent areas.
Bloom Time:
Blooms from March to May, depending on winter rainfall.
Pollinators:
Visited by small bees and insects. Its open, funnel-shaped flowers are easy access for a variety of pollinators.
Note:
Davy’s Broad-flowered Gilia is named after Joseph Burtt Davy, a botanist who studied California’s flora in the early 1900s. Like many desert annuals, it only appears in good bloom years, but when it does, it adds a subtle grace to the spring wildflower palette.