The Jepson Prairie Reserve is one of the last remaining natural prairies in the Sacramento valley. The reserve includes vernal-pools and native bunchgrass prairie. It is also the only known home for the federally threatened delta green ground beetle and federally and state endangered Solano grass. There are over 400 species and 64 families of plants, including 15 rare and endangered plants. The reserve land is owned by the Solano Land Trust and UC Davis provides a supporting role in reserve management. Every Saturday and Sunday from 10 to 12 (through the first week of May) there is a docent led walk that includes areas of the preserve that are not otherwise accessible to the public.
The current bloom report from Jepson Prairie is
“The only things I’ve seen blooming at Jepson are Blennosperma (yellow carpet), Lepidium (native pepper plant), Plagiobothrys (popcorn flower), the Frittilaria (Prairie bells) are starting to send up bloom spikes and one showed a single bloom on Wednesday, Triphysaria (Butter and eggs), Viola pedunculata (Golden violet), a few Dodecatheon (shooting stars), a few Lasthenia (goldfields). The bloom, in general, is scattered and sparse.
There are numerous species sprouting and growing but few blooming. It looks like we may have an excellent bloom this season but I’ve said that before and have witnessed a different outcome.”
For more information check out the UC Davis and Solano Land Trust Sites:
Jepson Prairie Reserve -UC Davis
Jepson Prairie Solano Land Trust
Natural History Wanderings 
Thanks for including reports on the Sacramento Valley. There is certainly wildflower activity here, but it’s really hard to get any information. Please keep it up!
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By: Drew on March 10, 2011
at 8:36 AM