Brittlebush around Phoenix
Encelia farinosa
Brittlebush usually blooms from late February to mid-April around Phoenix, with the best color from mid-March into early April.
late February – mid-April Best: mid-March into early April Out of season
The show usually starts around late February. Check back closer to the season.
Not every season keeps to that rhythm. In 2 of the 8 seasons on record (2024-25 and 2025-26) the first flowers opened around early November. In the desert that is what a soaking September or October rain does: the seeds sprout on it and the first flowers open months ahead of the usual season.
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 September 8, 2026. Bloom timing varies with the year's weather — the curve shows the usual rhythm, and in-season updates sharpen it.