Watch: Once Every 10 to 20 Years a Rare ‘Superbloom’ Spreads Across the Mojave Desert

In a rare superbloom, Death Valley comes to life.
Tara MacIsaac
4/14/2016
Updated:
4/14/2016

Usually the vegetation is sparse and hardy in the Mojave Desert, with just 2.36 inches of rain annually. But once every 10 to 20 years, a heavy winter rain drenches the desert and dormant wildflowers make a phenomenal appearance in what is known as a “superbloom.”

Mojave Desert’s Death Valley, the hottest and driest place on Earth, comes to life. 

Filmmaker Harun Mehmedinovic captures the jubilant Desert Gold flower, Geraea canescens, as it stretches up after a long slumber.

Mehmedinovic’s short film, “Amargosa Superbloom,” premiered on BBC Earth, and it is part of an ongoing crowd-funded SKYGLOW project to raise awareness about light pollution by capturing the beauty of the night sky.

For more of Mehmedinovic’s work, see his website www.BloodHoney.com or follow @modrac on Twitter.