Page Revised: 2/17/08

 

Available Site Reviews

Rocky Oaks

Circle X Ranch

Leo Carrillo State Park

Topanga State Park

 

Date of Review

2-14-08.

2-10-08, 2-8-08.

2-2-08.

1-23-08.

 

What's Blooming photo gallery: http://www.researchlearningcenter.com/bloom/bloom.htm
What's Blooming archive:
http://www.researchlearningcenter.com/bloom/archive/index.htm
Calendar of Events:
http://www.nps.gov/samo/planyourvisit/outdooractivities.htm

 

Now that the winter rains have brought green plants to the trails we are getting more questions about flowers. While a few of the early Spring flowers have begun to show, in reality there are probably fewer flowers blooming now than two months ago. One of our wildflower watchers who frequently submits flower reports took a long hike recently and saw only six flowers. This meager number included the even the weedy sorts like mustard and clover and sparse holdovers from last year like fuchsia and telegraph weed. There are signs of many flowers sprouting but it is going to take some warm weather and time for them to really get going. Things you might look for include wild cucumber, chaparral currant, wishbone bush and buckwheat, perhaps some nightshade or prickly phlox.

 

Lately I’ve been seeing quite a few bigpod ceanothus starting to bloom but mostly just in the warmer, sheltered areas. I’ve even seen a few greenbark ceanothus starting to bloom. Once we get some protracted warmer weather the ceanothus could burst out in a hurry. However, it’s really still too early to know if the serious drought we had last year has hurt the ceanothus blooming season this year.

 

Other gifts of the recent rains are fresh clear air and the area's creeks and waterfalls full of lively waters. On the other hand you might run into a bit of rock, mud or even water on the trails so choose your footwear accordingly. Always feel free to call the park office if you have questions about trail conditions or closures.

 


 

Rocky Oaks

Miscellaneous Trails

  Date: 2/14/08

 

 

        A quick survey of several of the trails turned up very little. In fact, overall, fewer flowers than we might expect to see in the heat of the summer. The good news is that we saw many small plants sprouting, in places quite thickly. Hopefully Spring is merely late this year and a good bloom is still on the way.   (TV)

 

Naturalist's rating:  Poor, but hopeful

 

Circle X Ranch

Mishe Mokwa and Grotto Trails

  Date: 2/10/08

 

 

        A quick hike of both the Mishe Mokwa and Grotto trails was a big disappointment, especially given what these trails can display this time of year. Very, very few spring flowers yet. In fact, overall, fewer flowers than we might expect to see in the heat of the summer. Spring seems to be slow to get going this year. We did see some nice chaparral current, a few wild cucumbers and a scattering of shooting stars on the Mishe Mokwa. The good news is that we saw many small plants sprouting, in places quite thickly. For example, I saw literally thousands of the small rosettes of the shooting star. Hopefully Spring is merely late this year and a good bloom is still on the way.   (TV)

 

Naturalist's rating:  Poor, but hopeful

 

Circle X Ranch and West

Backbone Trail

  Date: 2/8/08

 

 

        Saturday, 2/8, the BBT hike walked the new sections between Encinal, Mulholland and Etz Meloy Motorway.  We saw the following blooms:

Purple night shade, Green bark ceanothus, chaparral currant, big pod ceanothus, deer weed, mule fat, two-tone everlasting , cucumber, wish bone, California buckwheat, morning glory, cliff aster, California fuchsia, slender sunflower, telegraph weed, toyon.  (RW)

 

Naturalist's rating:  NR

 

Leo Carrillo State Park

Nicholas Flat Trail

  Date: 2/2/08

 

 

     On Saturday (February 2) the Santa Monica Mountains Trail Council and Sierra Club Trail Crew were doing a joint project at Leo Carrillo State Park.  Most people worked the Willow Creek Trail.  A few of us went up the Nichols Flat trail from the campground up to the upper ridge and I noted the following blooming plants: wild rose, bladder pod, mule fat, sugar bush, wild cucumber, deer weed, cud-weed aster, morning glory, white nightshade, chaparral currant, black sage, chamise, wishbone bush, and possibly a big-gum plant.  All in all, spring is right around the corner and it looks to be a promising wildflower year.     (GS)

 

Naturalist's rating:  NR

 

Topanga Canyon State Park

Musch Trail

  Date: 1/23/08

 

 

        From the Trippet Ranch parking lot. Walk up the paved road.  The pond that had been completely dry for 18 months has been brimming with water for the past two weeks.  Several dozen mallards are making use of it.  Turn onto the signed dirt trail at the top of the hill.  The rains have started to wake up the plants.  While there are no extravagant floral displays the flowers are starting to come out.  On this hike I saw chaparral current, wild cucumber, fuchsia flowering gooseberry, California everlasting, California buckwheat, golden yarrow, sticky monkey flower, telegraph weed, purple and white nightshade, California fuchsia, black sage, big pod ceanothus, cudweed aster, and prickly phlox.  Not bad for January.  (DS)

 

Naturalist's rating:  NR

 


 

 

Contact Information:

 

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

 

401 West Hillcrest Drive
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360

 

805-370-2301

 

www.nps.gov/samo

 

Thank you

 

for your contributions:

 

 

Bob Sweet
Bonnie Clarfield
Burt Elliot
Dorothy Steinicke
Greg Sweel
Jack Gillooly
Jay Sullivan
Jim Carleton
Judy Joy Lively
Kathy Jonokuchi
Ken Low
Kenda Sikes
Lynne Haigh
Matt Friedman
Michael Charters
Ralph Waycott
Richard & Agnes Thaler
Robert W. Maughmer
Sheila Braden
Tarja Sagar
Tony Valois

If you would like to contribute to the wildflower report:

 

e-mail:
Tony_Valois@partner.nps.gov

 

or phone Tony at 310-457-6408