Natural History Wanderings

Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve SNR reports

Wow, Mother Nature pulled the rug out from under us. We’re astonished to find that our big bloom of desert-adapted, ruggedly persistent poppies has been all but cooked away by the unseasonable heat we had a week ago. Where we had the densest poppy germination anyone’s seen in a decade, all that’s left on the south slopes are desiccated orange petals that didn’t even have a chance to go to seed before they were left shriveled on the stalk. This is completely unexpected, as the early and regular rains this winter should have given the plants the deep growing roots that would enable them to withstand a month of dry weather; however heat waves are always a variable factor that can quickly alter any prediction.

However, all is not lost! The north slopes of the reserve are angled away from the sun and still have lovely mosaics of color with goldfields, forget-me-nots, gold cups, cream cups, owl’s clover, and lupine among scattered poppies. The best patches of wildflowers can be found on the first section of the North Poppy Loop Trail, and the north sides of Kitanemuk Vista Point and the Vista Point just up from the east end of the paved parking lot.

Can the season be saved if we get a good rain? Where the poppy plants aren’t dead, they could be triggered to put out more buds…. but no rain is predicted soon. Still, the weather has been beautiful, the views are amazing, and visitors have enjoyed the beauty of the reserve despite the lack of the anticipated orange carpets.  We’re unable to predict how long the bloom will last at this point, but at this rate, as soon as mid-April there may be little left of this year’s bloom.

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Antelope Valley Latest Reserve Researcher Field Notes for 3/18/15

Poppy Trail North Loop – The cheat grass and brome are going to seed. Fiddleneck still has flowers but some are drying and going to seed, the Filaree are going to the Storksbill seedpods, Silver Puffs are going to the puff stage (their seed). Flowers in bloom are: Cream Cups, Evening Snow, Forget-me-nots, Goldfields, Poppies, Owl’s Clover and Blue Dick.

Poppy Trail South Loop—Flowers in bloom and starting to go to seed are: Poppies, Filaree, Fiddleneck, Slender Keel Fruit, and tiny Forget-me-nots.

Tehachapi Vista Point Trail – Filaree is going to seed, as is red brome and cheat grass, Fiddleneck still has flowers but some are going to seed, Silver Puffs are going to the puff stage. Flowers in bloom are: Poppies, Goldfields, Fremont Pincushions, Forget-me-nots, Locoweed, Cream Cups, Lupine, and Blue Dick. The Grape Soda Lupine on the west side of the trail are surrounded with a nice patch of Goldfields with a sprinkling of Poppies. If you want to get the grape soda smell try smelling the young lighter purple, newly opened flowers. The older flowers are giving way to the seed pods and they don’t have the smell. On the west side of the hill, the grasses are starting to dry and some of the Goldfields have already lost their petals, and the poppies are losing their petals and going to the seedpod stage.

Lightning Bolt Trail – Poppies are in bloom but there are still young plants that have not produced their first flower bud and are wilting. The more mature poppy plants are starting to form their seed pods. Plants in bloom: Lupine, Blue Dick, Fringe Pod, Wild Parsley, Forget-me-nots (they are starting to go to seed), Rattlesnake Weed, Lacy Phacelia (these plants have gone to seed and are drying up with virtually no flowers remaining), Slender Keel Fruit, Fiddleneck, Filaree (starting to produce seed pods), Silver Puffs are starting to open their yellow flowers and produce the puffs, California Asters have new leaves at the base of the plant and Wishbone/Four-o’clock have new green leaves with flower buds starting. Bunch grasses have new blades.

Antelope Butte Trail – The trail has not been cleared of vegetation but still walkable. Poppies, Goldfields, Slender Keel Fruit, Filaree, Fiddleneck, Silver Puffs, and Pygmy-leafed Lupine.

Valley Vista Point Trail – Flowers in bloom are: Filaree, Fiddleneck, Poppies, Blue Dick, Goldfields, Slender Keel Fruit, a nice area of Forget-me-nots with Poppies at the top of the vista point, Pygmy–leafed Lupine, Mustard, Evening Snow, Sun cups. There is a lot of Cheat Grass in this area and it is going to seed.

Antelope Trail North Loop – Flowers in bloom are: Fiddleneck, Filaree, Goldfields, Poppies, Slender Keel Fruit, Mustard, Blue Dick, Silver Puffs have the yellow flowers and a few have gone to the puff stage, few Lacy Phacelia, Forget-me-nots, and Pygmy-leafed Lupine. A few of the more mature poppies are forming their seed pods. The smaller poppy plants may produce one or two flowers and the even smaller plants are starting to wilt and not producing any flowers.

Antelope Trail South Loop – Flowers in bloom are: Fiddleneck, Filaree, Goldfields, Poppies, Slender Keel Fruit, Mustard, Blue Dick, Silver Puffs have the yellow flowers and a few have gone to the puff stage, few Lacy Phacelia, Forget-me-nots, Pygmy-leafed Lupine and Owl’s Clover.

Picnic Trail – Filaree, Fiddleneck, Goldfields, Poppies, and Slender Keel Fruit.