Natural History Wanderings

Homestead Valley has a new wildflower update. See photos and maps at March 9 2020 NEW – Blue dicks is starting to bloom purple in the meadows of Homestead Hill. – Buttercups bright yellow flowers are blooming in meadows. – California blackberry’s white flowers are blooming. – California plantain is blooming with its very small translucent flowers on the Homestead Fire Road. – Checkerbloom’s pink is blooming in the meadows of Homestead Hill. – Common vetch’s*, native of the Mediterranean area, pretty pink flowers are blooming on Homestead Hill. – Douglas iris is blooming cream in meadows on Homestead Hill. – English daisy*, native of Europe, is blooming in the meadow below Amaranth. – Giant trillium is blooming with cream or burgundy flowers along the Homestead Trail in forests. – Ground iris is blooming deep purple in meadows on Homestead Hill. – Hairy wood sorrel is blooming yellow along the Homestead Fire Road. – Red elderberry’s large shrub is blooming with white clusters below 4-Corners. – Ruby sandspury*, native of Europe and Asia, is blooming with small purple flowers on the Homestead Fire Road. – Sun cups are blooming yellow in meadows on Homestead Hill. Forests – Bay trees’ yellow clusters of flowers are filling the air with their sweet vanilla scent. – Canyon gooseberry with its little Chinese lantern red and white flowers is blooming in the forest near 16. – Fairy bells, low and branching with white bell flowers hanging under the leaves is blooming in forests. – False lily of the valley with its ladder of pointed leaves leading to white star flowers is blooming in forests. – Fetid adder’s tongue, a small lily with distinctive red mottled leaves, is blooming at several locations in the forest along the Homestead Trail. – Forget me nots*, this non-native invasive with pretty blue flowers is starting to bloom now in forests. – Hazel, a common deciduous shrub in the forest is waking up and the female flowers are very small tassels of bright red. – Indian warrior’s burgundy plumes are spreading down the hill below 15 on the Homestead Trail. – Manroot, a vine in the gourd family with large leaves and white flowers is blooming in forests. – Milkmaids with their white flowers is starting to bloom in the forests. – Oso berry is blooming with arching white, fragrant flowers in forests. – Pacific pea, a vine with pink or purple pea flowers is blooming in forests. – Trilium is blooming under bay trees in the forest near the water tank at 6d. Forest edge – Greene’s saxifrage, with its small white flower is blooming on the Ridgewood Rock. This is over a month later than usual. – Pacific hounds tongue with its bright blue flowers on tall stalks with large arrow leaves is blooming at forest edges. – Shooting star with its distinctive shooting star shaped flower is blooming in forest edges – White flowered onion*, an invasive with white bell flowers is blooming in wet spots. – Wintercress’s yellow flowers are blooming at meadow’s edge. – Woodland strawberry, a common ground cover at forest edges is starting to bloom white. Meadows – Barberry’s leaves are pointy like a holly; its flowers are blooming bright yellow with fragrant flowers in meadows up on Homestead Hill. – Blue-eyed grass, a member of the iris family, is blooming with a bright blue flower on Homestead Hill. – California poppy’s bright orange flowers are blooming in meadows. – Checker lily has started blooming with chocolate bells and yellow spots in the meadows below Amaranth. – Footsteps of spring is blooming in the middle of the trail at 7j below the Homestead Hill. – Fremont’s deathcamas’s cluster of white star flowers is blooming in the meadow below Amaranth. – Marin checker lily, a listed rare plant is blooming with chocolate bells in meadows. – Oakland star tulip, also a listed rare plant, is blooming in the meadow below 11. – Scotch broom*, one of the most aggressive invasive shrubs in Homestead is starting to bloom with bright yellow pea flowers in meadows. – Spring gold’s bright yellow flowers are blooming on the Ridgewood Rock. – Wooly lomatium, in the carrot family, with lacy foliage and white wooly umbels is blooming in meadows up on the Homestead Hill *Non-native