Natural History Wanderings

Santa Monica Mts. National Recreation Area reports

Reports are that this is the best flower season the Santa Monica’s have seen in years.

Stunt Ranch – Stunt Ranch Trail 4/26/17
This trail is in full glory. The trailhead is awash in purple sage mixed with golden yard, chamise and wild morning glory. Descending into the cool riparian woodland you fine purple nightshade, canyon sunflowers, fiesta flower, hummingbird sage, eucrypta and my favorite; globe lilies or fairy lanterns that just seem to radiate light. Climbing up out of the oaks you come to meadows that are filled with golds and purples. There are multitudes of golden star lilies and more golden yarrow mixed with larkspur, blue dicks, blue eyed grass and the exquisite tiny brodeaia and punctuated by more butterfly mariposa lilies than I can remember seeing in one place. Continuing into the chaparral you will find elegant clarkia, heart leaf penstemon, woolly blue curls, California chicory, caterpillar phacelia and great swathes of Chinese houses.

See older reports and photos at What’s Blooming

Santa Monica Mt. Quick Links:
Wildflowers of the Santa Monica Mountains – Photos of 1000 SMM plants.
Archive – Previous “What’s Blooming” reports.
Outdoors – The Calendar of Events for the Santa Monica Mountains NRA.
SMM WildFlowers – The Park’s popular wildflower app for the iPhone.
New! SMM WildFlowers – The Park’s popular wildflower app for Android smartphones (Pre-Release Beta Version)