On March 11, 2010 we drove to the Joshua Tree National Park, which is about 45 minutes from Redlands. The Joshua trees and some of the various cacti have started to bloom. You can see two large white blooms at the top of this tree (which is actually in the Yucca family).
These small fuzzy looking plants are baby Joshuas.
But don't touch them! The "fuzz" is all thorns! These have small yellow flowers on the tips.
This plant is called an Ocotillo plant. Although in California and Texas, it is mainly found in Mexico.
The desert in bloom, there's nothing like it!