A reliable source says wildflowers bloom in all colors

Today’s question: We recently drove some visitors to Cave Creek and saw many wildflowers. Why does yellow seem to be the dominant color among desert flowers? I really did some serious research on this one. I looked and looked and was about to cook up some mealy-mouthed answer when I finally came across something by a fairly reliable source — me.

Who knew? I don’t remember what I had for breakfast yesterday much less remember a column I wrote a year ago.

It turned out I had answered the question a year ago and my answer was mealy-mouthed then as well.

It seems there is no rhyme nor reason for Mother Nature’s color scheme for desert wildflowers. Red, yellow, pink, purple — you name it and the desert has it.

One thought was that yellow attracted more pollinators than other colors so it would be in a plant’s advantage to put out yellow flowers.

Not so. Many pollinators and plants seem to have entered into deals about which particular colors work best. And that includes almost the entire color spectrum.

It also includes ultraviolet light, so some pollinators may be drawn to colors we can’t even see.

Different plants offer up their flowers at different times of the season so it is entirely possible that you and last year’s questioner happened to be out and about during the yellow part of the season.

Or maybe some yellow-flowered plants grow taller, so you are more likely to notice their blooms than those of their shorter companions.

As best as I can tell, nobody knows.