Natural History Wanderings

submitted by
Helen Tarbet, Adventure Pass Field Ranger

Los Padres National Forest Figueroa Mountain Wildflower Update

Final Update for 2013; May 5, 2013 

Salutations!  I’m sorry to announce that most of the wildflowers for the season are just about gone. Of course, we couldn’t really expect too much out of them this year considering the warm, unseasonal temperatures, strong winds and lack of rain. Because there is so little to report, this will be the last update for the season.

Due to the scarcity of the wildflowers, I am not going to go with the usual format of noting the various locations, but instead I will simply let you know of the late spring flowers that are currently present.

Throughout Figueroa Mountain, dudleyas, butter lupine, Mexican elderberry, bush lupine, prickly lupine, bush poppies, sticky leaf monkey flowers, scarlet buglers, sticky leaf monkey flowers, vetch, Indian paintbrush, Nuttles-larkspur, golden yarrow, a few mariposa lilies, cactus flower, wild roses and a variety of clarkia, including wine cups, farewell to spring, speckled and elegant clarkia can be seen. The clarkia, scarlet buglers, Nuttles-larkspur, wild roses and cactus flowers are best seen on Sunset Valley and Happy Canyon.

I realize this is a short and to the point report, but as I mentioned earlier, the variety of wildflowers are few and widely spread out.

As always, it has been my pleasure sending out these reports and attempting to answer any questions that you may have had. Until next season, have a wonderful remaining 2013!