Don't fiddle with the flowers

Photo by Marty Horowitz

If you learn only one flower this season, this should be the one! Just like other living things, plants of the same species can be somewhat different sizes and colors. Fiddlenecks (Amsinckia menziesii var. intermedia) are not going to be 10 ft tall and purple; but they may be a few inches to 1 ft, yellow to orange. And they may be in various stages of curliness at the top. Go out and take a look.
But PLEASE don't pick flowers (or any thing - living or not) in Sabino Canyon. I stopped someone (well into adulthood) today from taking a veritable bouquet. (The first excuse: "I just want to plant these in my garden.") If you see someone with a plant, an animal, or a saguaro rib, please stop them from taking it out of the canyon; even if it's "too late" (as in the case today. True, the damage to those flowers was done, but dozens of people would have seen her taking them out of the canyon and would have thought: "How lovely! I'll pick some, too). You don't have to be in uniform to protect your public lands.