Natural History Wanderings

Theodore Payne just posted their weekly wildflower report. Below are some highlights. To see the full report and photos go to: Wildflower Hotline.

In the Southern Sierra near Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, and along the Generals Highway in Sequoia National Park, Western redbud (Cercis occidentalis) is spectacular with it’s reddish-pink blossoms providing a stunning show of color. This is above 2500 feet in elevation. Bright patches California poppies (Eschscholzia californica) and common madia (Madia elegans) light up the road sides along Highway 198 through Three Rivers into the national parks. The blue spider lupine (Lupinus benthamii) and pinkish Chinese houses (Collinsia heterophylla) add contrast to the yellow/orange palette of the other blossoms. Monkeyflower (Mimulus aurantiacus) are coming into bloom around Kaweah Reservoir in lower elevations. This is a beautiful stretch of highway into our uniquely beautiful national parks in California’s Sierras Nevada Mountains.

 

The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden continues to offer spectacular displays of wildflowers, many in peak bloom. The Meadow Section loop trail offers colorful masses of California poppy (Eschscholzia californica), blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium bellum), Point Reyes meadowfoam (Limnanthes douglasii var. sulfurea), Island bush poppy (Dendromecon harfordii), tree anemone (Carpenteria californica), and purple sage (Salvia leucophylla). Plants currently flowering in the Desert Section include fairy-duster (Calliandra eriophylla), desert marigold (Baileya multiradiata), desert lavender (Hyptis emoryi), and several species of penstemon (Penstemon spp.), desert mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua), and prickly pears (Opuntia spp.). A special treat—masses of stream orchid (Epipactis gigantea) can be found in the Orchid display, whose border is currently framed by island alumroot (Heuchera maxima) and hummingbird sage (Salvia spathacea). The canyon sunflower (Venegasia carpesioides) is in full bloom throughout the canyon below the picturesque and historic Mission Dam, where wild ginger (Asarum caudatum) and redwood sorrel (Oxalis oregana) are showing their first few flowers beneath the redwoods (Sequoia sepmpervirens).Enjoy the spring breezes as you hike the trails at Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve. Approaching the Reserve along Clinton Keith Road, the bush monkeyflower (Mimulus aurantiacus) is especially showy. The Western buttercups (Ranunculus occidentalis) are glorious along the South Trans Preserve Trail. California poppies (Eschscholzia californica), goldfields (Lasthenia gracilis), baby-blue eyes (Nemophila menziesii) and balloon clover (Trifolium depaueratum var. truncatum) also can be seen along trail edges. The bush lupines (Lupinus excubitus var. hallii), Canterbury bells (Phacelia campanularia), Angel’s gilia (Gilia angelensis), and popcorn flower (Plagiobothrys and Cryptantha spp.) show up here an there along the trails with the everlastings (Pseudognaphalium spp.) standing tall among them. Search here for another baby blue-eyes species, (Nemophila pedunculata) to add to your list of pretties. The SRP has many fragile soils, lichens and plants. Please stay on the trails to take pictures of flowers.

In San Diego County, the area just east of Poway that includes Iron Mountain, Mt. Woodson and the Blue Sky Ecological Reserve, is now in full bloom. This is a canyon of large oaks with coastal sage scrub and chaparral filling in adjacent areas. The star of the show here is the snowdrop bush (Styrax redivivus) with its pure white flowers lighting up the shady understory. Bush monkeyflower (Mimulus aurantiacus), with all shades from yellow to deep red, and saniculas (Sanicula spp.) with their tight heads of tiny yellow flowers are very photoworthy. Out in the sunlight, golden yarrow (Eriophyllum confertiflorum) is beginning its bloom. Slender sunflower (Helianthus gracilentus), canyon sunflower (Venegasia capesioides), stinging lupine (Lupinus hirsutissimus), caterpillar phacelia (Phacelia cicutaria var. hispida), Parry’s phacelia (Phacelia parryi), Parish’s bluecurls (Trichostema parishii), checkerbloom (Sidalcea malviflora ssp. sparsiflora), bush poppy (Dendromecon rigida) and the cute little pink Turkish rugging (Chorizanthe staticoides) are all in full bloom.