Natural History Wanderings

Santa Monica Mountain National Recreation Area just published a new wildflower report.  They have new postings for Paramont Ranch, Wildwood Crest and Castro Crest. Below are the reports  and dates:

Paramount Ranch			Date: 04/29/2011
	Leaving the Western Town area I took the Coyote Trail and then wound around to the northwest and returned by way of an informal trail through the grassland.  In less than two miles I saw spring vetch, blue dicks, purple nightshade, golden yarrow, elegant clarkia (early), wishbone flower (late), elder flower, chia and chamise in bloom.  There was owl’s clover, flowering yucca, caterpillar phacelia and woolly blue curls.  In the deep shade there were Chinese houses, fiesta flowers, hummingbird sage, prickly phlox, sugar bush and cinquefoil.  In the grassland there were a lot of California poppies. – Dorothy Steinicke

Wildwood Park		Misc Trails	Date: 04/26/2011
	We started at the main trailhead on Arboles and heading west. The only annuals that seem to be doing well are the weedy one’s I’ll not mention by name here. It was a lovely hike on a lovely afternoon, but of the over thirty species found in bloom there was not much to write home about. Some of the highlights include purple sage, blue dicks, Several Catalina mariposa lilies in the grassy fields, chamise, California wild rose, California buckwheat, Turkish rugging, black sage, yucca, rattlesnake weed (the low prostrate one) caterpillar phacelia, chia, bush mallow, morning glory, golden yarrow, popcorn flower, wishbone bush, sugar bush, California blackberry, purple nightshade, and scarlet pimpernel. As you can see I gave up and added some of the weeds to this list just to make it a bit longer.. – ed.

Castro Crest Area		Backbone Trail	Date: 04/23/2011
	This is becoming one of my very favorite places to hike.  There are amazing views from the parking lot. Standing at the trailhead you can see golden yarrow, deer weed, woolly blue curls, black sage, chamise and wild morning glory in bloom. Descending through the chaparral there is blooming California everlasting, purple nightshade, chaparral current, sticky monkey flower and popcorn flowers.  Entering the wooded canyon bottom you cross and recross little streams.  I counted fourteen water crossings in all.  In that wooded shade there are milkmaids, miner’s lettuce, sweet pea, fiesta flowers, johnny jump ups, fuchsia flowering gooseberry and canyon sunflowers.  Rising up again through the chaparral there are California poppies and blue dicks. Walk as far as you like and return as you came. – Dorothy Steinicke

Go to their website to see all of their reports: http://www.researchlearningcenter.org/bloom/