The time to see cactus in bloom is in February and March. The latter month ends the flowering season for this particular plant. Again the desert becomes flowerless and gloomy for at least two months and then good Mother Nature with her magic wand once more transforms the desolate desert into a brilliant garden of flowers and shrubs. There are the Yucca Whipplei and the yucca palm, the Joshua palm and the desert lilac, the desert poinsettias, marguerites, desert and scrub pines. All a riot of color, but the _Eriogonum_ survives them all into September. What a wonderful array of color greets the eye! As far as it can see it is fairly stunned by these glowing tints and hues, from rich ultramarine to pale yellow--red, lavender, purple, pink, light blue, to the purest cream white. This blooming season ends in July, but alone the _Eriogonum_ keeps on blooming till September.
Then there is one short rest period for about one month as if in preparation for a carpet of golden blooms.
Shrubs, bushes, and small trees which have been practically dormant for ten months of the year burst out in golden vestments to greet the approaching winter, and bid a last farewell to Indian Summer.
Such is the aspect of the desert, at that time of the year. And, strangest of all, of all the hundreds of species of trees, bushes, and shrubs, all different from each other, not one bears anything but yellow blossoms.
Let us turn back to where we began, to the especial value of the plant to hunters and vacationists who make their yearly visits to certain mountain and desert regions favored by them. It will certainly do no harm to acquaint yourself with the medicinal value of the _Eriogonum_ since you have to depend for your sustenance mostly on canned foods.
Occasions arise when users of such foods are made very ill, even suffer death, through so-called ptomaine poisoning. To obtain the service of a doctor is well-nigh an impossibility and ptomaine poisoning is a fast-working, exceedingly dangerous poison, where delay is fatal.
The plant _Eriogonum_ grows nowadays in the coastal regions as well as in the desert where it originally came from, and the first thing to do when attacked by ptomaine poison is to make a strong infusion from the blossoms of the _Eriogonum_, or, if these are not available, use the roots, and take, or give to the poison victim, two brimful cups with a pinch of salt added to each cup.