Brittlebush around Phoenix

Encelia farinosa

Brittlebush usually blooms from mid-December to early May around Phoenix, with the best color from mid-March into early April.

mid-December – early May Best: mid-March into early April Out of season

The show usually starts around mid-December. Check back closer to the season.

Based on reports from iNaturalist naturalists. 335 flowering reports from Maricopa County shape this curve. The shaded band marks the best weeks; the dashed line is this week.

Where to see them

The yellow that lines every Phoenix trailhead in March. Brittlebush is dependable even in dry years, which makes it the Sonoran spring you can actually plan on.

South Mountain Park and Preserve, Phoenix
Usery Mountain Regional Park
McDowell Sonoran Preserve, Scottsdale

We name public reserves, parks, and roads only — never exact pins, never private land.

Updated August 14, 2026. Bloom timing varies with the year's weather — the curve shows the usual rhythm, and in-season updates sharpen it.