Page Revised: 5/18/05

 

Available Sites

Topanga State Park
Zuma/Trancas Canyons
Circle X Ranch
Malibu Creek State Park
Lower Zuma Canyon
Cold Creek Preserve
Triunfo Creek Park
Paramount Ranch
Topanga State park
Saddle Peak Area
Newton/Upper Solstice Cantons
Point Mugu State Park

Date of Review

5/15/05 & 5/11/05 & 5/1/05
5/12/05 & 4/21/05 & 4/18/05
5/9/05 & 5/2/05 & 4/30/05 & & 4/11/05
5/3/05
5/3/05
4/27/05
4/26/05
4/22/05
4/22/05
4/18/05
4/9/05
4/5/05

See the photo gallery of What’s Blooming at: http://www.nps.gov/samo/bloom/bloom.htm

In the interest of keeping this  What’s Blooming  page brief, but simultaneously providing access to past reports, we have created an archive of previous reports which can be found at www.nps.gov/samo/bloom/archive/index.htm

Many organizations are now offering guided wildflower walks. You can check the Spring calendar of the Santa Monica Mountains NRA, Outdoors, for more details. The on-line version of this printed booklet can be found at http://www.nps.gov/samo/outdoors.

In addition to the Rec Area’s trails many of the roadsides are displaying beautiful stands of flowers. Indeed, some flowers are encountered almost exclusively on the roadsides. Some of my favorites include Mulholland Highway, Westlake Boulevard, Deer Creek Road and Yerba Buena Road. Use caution when driving and walking these roads for they are frequently very winding and have little or no shoulder. Drivers on these roads can be fast and aggressive, especially on the weekends.

It is rattlesnake season so be careful of where you step or sit. The easiest way to avoid them is to stay on the trail where visibility is good and you can see them with plenty of warning. Like many shy creatures they will freeze to stillness in hope that you will not see them and pass by, rattling and coiling only as a last defense when they are most frightened. Give them a wide berth, or better yet, allow them leave in their own time. Encountering one of these shy and elusive creatures in the wild is always a treat for me.

 

Topanga State Park

Temescal Ridge Trail /
Dead Horse Trail

 Date: 5/15/05

 

 

        The Temescal Ridge trail is kind of a hot and dry hike but the reward is seeing Braunton's milk vetch, a lovely plant that is quite uncommon.  The other blooming plants are California buckwheat, golden yarrow, deerweed, yucca, sticky monkey flower, caterpillar phacelia, eucrypta, canyon sunflower, purple nightshade and elder flower.  There were lots of butterflies including brilliant sulfers.  We saw one rattlesnake.

        Starting in the Dead Horse parking lot off of Entrada Rd.  This is a fairly short but interesting trail that alternates between chaparral and woodland.  At the start there is a lot of yellow: Golden stars, golden yarrow and chaparral yucca.  There are a few remaining butterfly mariposa lilies and blue dicks.  There is California buckwheat, elegant clarkia, vervain, globe gilia, and caterpillar phacelia.  Heart leaf penstemon is making its first appearance.  There is a gorgeous stand of hummingbird sage that is still blooming.  Soon you come to a bridge that is high above a flowing creek, a nice place to stop and rest.  Continuing on there is morning glory, California chicory, a little greenbark ceanothus, purple nightshade, woolly blue curls, popcorn flower, black sage, sticky monkey flower chamise, deerweed, canyon sunflower and fiesta flower.  I saw my first slender tarweed of the season.  As you walk along a meadow watch for deer and bobcats.  There is spring vetch, blue eyed grass, elder flower and California everlasting.  The trail ends by the pond at Trippet Ranch, a good place to launch onto further hikes or return as you came.  I always see more things on the return trip.  (DS)

 

Naturalist's rating: Good

 

Zuma Canyon

Backbone Trail

 Date: 5/12/05

 

 

        On 5/12/05 we hiked along the Backbone Trail from the Newton Trailhead to the Upper Zuma Falls and returned. A rating of very good is given for the variety (95) and quantity of flowering species observed. Starting at the trailhead we immediately encountered elderberry, hedge mustard, red stem filaree, bur clover, sour clover and sow thistle, the usual suspects. Spanish broom provided lots of color as did greenbark ceanothus, black sage, toyon, bush monkey flower and Italian thistle. Bur chervil, slender bedstraw, chamise and windmill pinks were abundantly present as were speckled Clarkia, miner's lettuce, deerweed, Calif. buckwheat and minute flowered popcorn flower. The small of tomcat clover to the tall of Chaparral yucca were present. Sticky Madia, Calif. everlasting, lacepod, common bedstraw and eucrypta were next encountered along the trail. Numerous fiesta flowers and rigid hedge nettles provided more color along the way. Canyon sunflower, Calif. figwort, two-toned everlasting, Calif. chicory, pineapple weed, silver puff, London rocket, scarlet pimpernel and purple night shade were next observed. Curly dock, blue dick were accompanied by elegant Clarkia, Parry's phacelia, chia, bigpod ceanothus and several small stands of large flowered popcorn flower. The aptly named caterpillar phacelia as well as wishbone bush, mountain dandelion, fern leaf phacelia, horehound and several stands of Chinese houses, one group containing several plants with pure white flowers were seen. The bush lupines were in bloom and several groups of large flowered phacelia were spotted. Sugar bush, scarlet pitcher sage, checker bloom, blue larkspur, snow berry and holly leaf red berry were also exhibiting blossoms.

        It was especially exciting to find numerous large patches of globe lily all along the trail. In the past we had only spotted an occasional plant. We saw wild blackberry, golden yarrow, purple Clarkia, bull thistle, blue-eyed grass, snake root, horkelia, morning glory, yellow monkey flower, small evening primrose and Turkish rugging. A fair quantity of wooly blue curls were in bloom as were the star lily. A few prickly phlox, globe gilia, hillside penstemon and Catalina Mariposa lily were also in bloom. A special treat to me was the discovery of a small bush of speedwell in bloom, the first time I have seen it in the SM mountains. Slimy monkey flower put in its appearance as well as golden star, Indian pink, creek monkey flower, white pincushion, cliff aster and sticky phacelia. One nice stand of owl's clover was passed, Spanish clover was present and vervain made its appearance. The hike was concluded with the observation of tree tobacco and slender sunflower. Grasses identified along the way included golden top and soft brome. (RWM)

 

Naturalist's rating: Very Good

 

Topanga State Park

Nature Trail

 Date: 5/11/05

 

 

        The trail leaves the picnic area by the pond.  Immediately there are lots of fiesta flowers and miners lettuce along with quite a bit of poison oak.  Passing the nature center, the woods have a bit of purple nightshade but not much else.  But when you enter the chaparral portion there are morning glories, sticky monkey flower, bush lupine, deer weed, black sage, bush sunflower, California buckwheat and caterpillar phacelia which is now completely unrolled. There is vervain, California everlasting, chamise, white nightshade and golden yarrow.  Returning down the fire road there is a veritable wall of elegant clarkia growing on the road cut.  Returning to the nature center there are still golden stars and blue-eyed grass.  I saw an entire blooming meadow and stepped off the trail to investigate.  Endless Chinese houses, really spectacular. I also went a little way up the Musch Trail.  Not really enough to make a report but I went to the place where the geophytes always grow.  There is an amazing amount of purple owl's clover and the farewell-to-spring has started.  (DS)

 

Naturalist's rating: Good

 

Circle X Ranch

Backbone Trail below Triunfo Peak

 Date: 5/9/05

 

 

        We began our hike at the Mishe Mokwa trailhead and walked east until intersecting the Triunfo Peak access road. We then took the access road toward the peak and then back down to the backbone tail to retrace our steps until intersecting Yerba Buena Road at about mile 7.6. We completed the loop by taking Yerba Buena back to the Mishe Mokwa trailhead, a total of about five miles. The trail has become quite grassy in places and the foxtails are beginning to be annoying. We encountered about 95 species in bloom although the lack of dense stands of flowers prevents a rating above good. Highlights include Woolly Blue Curls, Catalina Mariposa Lily, Blue Dick, Yucca, California Buckwheat, Chamise, Purple Clarkia, Willow-herb Clarkia, Black Sage, Scarlet Pimpernel, Golden Yarrow, Yellow Monkey Flower, Bush Monkey Flower, Lance-leaf Live-forever, Coast Goldfields, Golden Stars, Wild Morning Glory, Yellow Pincushion, White Pincushion, Red-skinned Onion, Peninsular Onion, Purple Nightshade, Fiesta Flower, Caterpillar Phacelia, Parry's Phacelia, Large-flowered Phacelia, Pitcher Sage, Mustard Evening Primrose, Bleeding Heart, Fire Poppy, Hedge Nettle, Canyon Sunflower, Chinese Houses, Star Lily, Sugar Bush, Rock Rose, Brewer's Red Maids, Sticky False Gilia, Heart-leaved Penstemon, Slender Tarweed, Bush Lupine, Blue-eyed Grass, Turkish Rugging, Birds Beak, Sticky Cinquefoil, Fuchsia-flowered Gooseberry and Heart-leaved Penstemon.  (TV)

 

Naturalist's rating: Good

 

Malibu Creek State Park

Crags Road /

Bulldog Road

 Date: 5/3/05

 

 

         The hike into Malibu Creek State Park from the west end (Crags Drive) to the MASH site and including the lower 3/4 mile of Bulldog Motorway is really lovely right now. As of  4/30 and 5/3, species blooming included purple clarkia (Clarkia purpurea), farewell-to-spring (Clarkia bottae), elegant clarkia (Clarkia unguiculata), globe gilia (Gilia capitata), chaparral gilia (Gilia angelensis), common linanthus (Linanthus parviflora), blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium bellum), woolly morning glory (Calystegia malacophylla ssp. pedicellata), poison hemlock (Conium maculatum), scarlet bugler (Penstemon centranthifolius), foothill penstemon (Penstemon heterophyllus), chinese houses (Collinsia heterophyllus), California milkweed (Asclepias californica), blue dicks (Dichelostemma capiatatum), golden yarrow (Eriophyllum confertiflorum), owl's clover (Castilleja exserta), blue larkspur (Delphinium parryi ssp. parryi), spreading larkspur (Delphinium patens ssp. hepaticoideum), western vervain (Verbena lasiostachys var. lasiostachys), black sage (Salvia mellifera), crimson pitcher sage (Salvia spathacea), silver puffs (Uropappus lindleyi), smooth cat's ear (Hypochaeris glabra), creek monkeyflower (Mimulus guttatus), sticky monkey flower (Mimulus aurantiacus), sticky madia (Madia gracilis), hareleaf (Lagophyllum ramosissimum), miniature lupine (Lupinus bicolor), broad-leaved lupine (Lupinus latifolius var. latifolius), bush lupine (Lupinus longifolius), scarlet pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis), water speedwell (Veronica anagallis-aquatica), slender cottonweed (Micropus californicus), golden stars (Bloomeria crocea), spring vetch (Vicia sativa), purple nightshade (Solanum xanti), fiesta flower (Pholistoma auritum), California chicory (Rafinesquia californica), caterpillar phacelia (Phacelia cicutaria), rock phacelia (Phacelia egena), Spanish broom (Spartium junceum), deerweed (Lotus scoparius), yucca (Yucca whipplei), woolly blue curls (Trichostema lanatum), chamise (Adenostema fasciculatum), prickly phlox (Leptodactylon californicum), fiddleneck (Amsinckia menziesii), fairy lanterns (Calochortus albus), catalina mariposa lilies (Calochortus catalinae), chia (Salvia columbariae), wild rose (Rosa californica), yellow pincushion (Chaenactis glabriuscula), canyon sunflower (Venegasia carpesioides), california everlasting (Gnaphalium californicum), popcorn flower (Cryptantha intermedia), bur-chervil (Anthriscus caucalis), perennial peppergrass (Lepidium latifolium), buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum), and many other things that I can't remember off-hand.  (MC)

 

Naturalist's rating: Very Good

 

Lower Zuma Canyon

Zuma Canyon Trail /

Zuma Loop Trail

 Date: 5/3/05

 

 

         The lower section of Zuma Canyon has a heavy burden of "weedy" non-native species. As you move out and up you begin to see more native species and a greater overall diversity of flowers. The Zuma Loop trail is better than the Zuma Canyon trail in this respect. Altogether about 80 different species encountered.

        Highlights include Elderberry, Bull Mallow, Milk Thistle, Nightshades, Coast Figwort, Sunflowers, Speedwell, Popcorn Flowers, Lupines, Monkey Flowers, Henbit, Hedge Nettle, Fiesta Flower, Blue Dick, California Buckwheat, Heart-leaved Penstemon, Red Bugler, Yucca, Wild Morning Glory, Yarrows, Indian Pink, Chamise, Cutleaf Geranium, Catalina Mariposa Lily, Indian Paintbrush, Blue-eyed Grass, Toyon, Purple Sage, Slender Tarweed, Locoweed, and Wild Sweet Pea.  (TV).

 

Naturalist's rating: Fair to Good

 

Circle X Ranch

Mishe Mokwa Loop

 Date: 5/2/05

 

 

         While the trail is beginning to dry out there was still a decent display of flowers. Several of the early bloomers are definitely on the wane but others are really busting out in spectacular displays of blossoms. It will be interesting to see how the recent rains affect the flowers. The section of the trail from the trailhead to split rock is the most productive for flower with 94 different species encountered. Adding in the entire rest of the loop brings the total up to 114. The back section of the trail often shows flowers in bloom long after they are done elsewhere. For example, Chaparral Current and Wild cucumber are still in bloom back there and the Star Lilies are only beginning to bloom. The Sandstone Peak section is often the poorest of for flowers, however, the dense display of ordinary (even weedy) flowers that grow on this section combined to produce a very nice palette of colors this time out. The great display of Bush Lupine is worth mentioning.

        Highlights include: Evening Primroses, Monkey Flowers, Wild morning Glory, several Phacelias including Parry's and Yellow-throated, California Buckwheat, Clarkias including Purple and Speckled, Nightshades, Chamise, Chinese Houses, Blue Dick, Pincushions, Collarless California Poppy, Globe Gilia, Our Lord's Candle, Woolly Blue Curls, Star Lily, Catalina Mariposa Lily, Red-skinned Onion, Lupines, Purple Owl's Clover, Bird's Beak, Fiesta Flower, Hollyleaf Cherry, Wild Sweet Pea, Pitcher Sage, Blue Larkspur, Snowberry, Woodland Star, and Prickly Phlox.  (TV)

 

Naturalist's rating: Good

 

Topanga State Park

Musch Trail

 Date: 5/1/05

 

 

        This is for the Musch Trail in TSP from Trippet Ranch and about 3/4 way to the Eagle Rock fire road. There is a lot of poison oak growing into the trail, but you can avoid it if you are careful. The trail flowers are lovely as there is profusely blooming black sage, chamise and deer weed which are a colorful backdrop for lots of canyon sunflowers, purple nightshade, and emerging purple sage blooms. Flowers along the way: spring vetch, bush monkey flower, owl's clover, California figwort, sugar bush, notable penstemon, yellow (wide throat) monkey flower, black mustard, golden stars, hedge nettle, star lily, golden yarrow, fiesta flower, blue dicks, caterpillar phacelia, morning glory, mariposa lilies, California everlasting, red stem filaree, and several species of lupine.  (LH)

 

Naturalist's rating: Good

 

Circle X Ranch

Canyon View Trail

 Date: 4/30/05

 

 

        While the trail is beginning to dry out and grasses and thistles are becoming more prominent there was still a good display of flowers. It will be interesting to see how the recent rains will affect the flowers. Ninety two different species encountered although several of the early bloomers are definitely on the wane. Highlights include: Evening Primroses, Monkey Flowers, Wild morning Glory, several Phacelias including Large-flowered and Parry's, Clarkias, Nightshades, Chamise, California Wild Rose, Blue-eyed Grass, Chinese Houses, Blue Dick, Wishbone Bush, Pincushions, Collarless California Poppy, Globe Gilia, Turkish Rugging, Our Lord's Candle, Woolly Blue Curls, Star Lily, Catalina Mariposa Lily, Red-skinned Onion, Annual Paintbrush, an early Bush Mallow, Lupines, Purple Snapdragon, Rock Rose, Purple Owl's Clover, and Whispering Bells. We have been seeing a good number of unusual color variations this year and on this hike we saw a few Scarlet Pimpernel that were blue.  (TV)

 

Naturalist's rating: Very Good

 

Cold Creek Preserve

Stunt High Trail

 Date: 4/27/05

 

 

        Parking for this trailhead is on Stunt Road about one mile in from Mulholland Highway. Across the street is the entrance to the Calabasas Fire Road. We parked here and then walked up the trail, about two miles, crossing Stunt Road once before reaching the top trailhead, also on Stunt Road near mile marker three. The two mile trail ascends through the Stunt Ranch property along the creek and then turns left to continue up the hill. Over eighty flowers were found in the lower section with its passage through several different habitats. The top section, which is mostly chaparral, added another half dozen or so bringing the total count to about ninety. The lower section could be given a Very Good designation but the upper section is only Fair. Highlights include Purple Sage, Wild Morning Glory, much Chamise, Monkey Flowers, Blue-eyed Grass, many Golden Stars, Fiesta Flower, Baby Blue-eyes, many Bush Poppy, Globe Lily, Large-flowered Lotus, dense spreads of Chinese Houses, Blue Larkspur, Purple Owl's Clover, Carolina Geranium, California Wild Rose, a few Red Maids, Star Lily, Woolly Blue Curls, and Rock Rose.  (TV)

 

Naturalist's rating: Good

 

Triunfo Creek Park

Pentachaeta Trail

 Date: 4/26/05

 

 

        This park, tucked away in a corner of Westlake Village at the end of Lindero Canyon Road, is most famous for the very rare Lyons Pentachaeta which blooms here in profusion. The main attraction is the easy, one-mile Pentachaeta Trail which is currently experiencing an explosion of flowers. An afternoon hike here netted an impressive 120 species in bloom some of which carpet the hillsides with spectacular displays of flowers. Highlights include impressive displays of the afore mentioned Lyons Pentachaeta, fields of Coast Goldfields, California Poppy, Purple Owl's Clover, large and very dense stands of Chinese Houses, plentiful and many-blossomed Blue Larkspur (including an unusual pink variation), Ground-pink, frequent Purple, Speckled, Elegant, and Willow-herb Clarkias, Fuchsia-flowered Gooseberry, Sticky Cinquefoil, Indian Pink, profuse Chamise, Ceanothus, both Yarrow and Golden Yarrow, Carolina Geranium, Annual Coreopsis, several different Lupines, several different Monkey Flowers, Checker Bloom, Blow Wives, Elderberry, both White and Yellow Pincushions, a good stand of Foothill Penstemon, Curly Dock, Blue-eyed Grass, Woolly Blue Curls, Purple Sage, Wild Morning Glory, California Wild Rose, Common Vervain, Caterpillar Phacelia, Fiesta Flower, Angel's Gilia, Golden Stars, Star Lily, Catalina Mariposa Lily, and even an early Yellow Mariposa Lily. If you go to the park to see the Pentachaeta you might want to look up the difference between this and the Coast Goldfield as they are similar and in places growing together.  (TV)

 

Naturalist's rating: Excellent

 

Paramount Ranch

Several Trails

 Date: 4/22/05

 

 

         Although Paramount Ranch is best known for its Western Town, the trails in the hills behind are easy, fun to explore, and great for wildflowers. And for a short, half-mile trail, Coyote Canyon has to be one of the best-bangs-for-bucks in the Santa Monica Mountains. Starting just behind the “train station,” it doesn’t look like much–mostly non-natives–but quickly enters the “native and profuse” category as the trail follows a chattering brook. Owl’s clover, dove lupine, golden yarrow, blue dicks, elderberry, and caterpillar phacelia all vie for attention—until you find the volcanic outcrops that add yucca and showy penstemon to the mix. Further up, as the trail winds into mixed chaparral, globe lilies, mariposas, and golden stars appear in the tall grasses, with lots of chia and wooly blue curls, lotus, and yellow monkey flowers just beyond.

        Near its finish (at 45 species), you might turn left on the Hacienda Trail and add purple clarkia, Chinese houses, Johnny-Jump-Ups, silver puffs and gumweed to your list—along with a hillside of deep blue phacelia. After a quarter-mile, another left puts you on the Medicine Woman Trail and bearing left at the junction of Backdrop Trail, get set for the densest stretch of wildflowers you may see this year. It’s a one-way up-and-back trail to the park’s western boundary, and there were tons of popcorn flower, Parry’s phacelia, white pincushion, yellow monkey flower, two different evening primroses, black sage, chia, sticky monkey flower and a dozen others—along the first quarter mile. This one, and parts of Coyote Canyon, earned the “Excellent” rating.

        Returning to the Backdrop Trail and following it around to the Bwana Trail, again, the rolling grass-fields wouldn’t seem to add anything until you cross a few tiny creeks—still with water—and pick up patches of cinquefoil, globe gilia, California poppies, elegant clarkia, Indian pinks, and blue larkspur, among many of the previous varieties.

        The whole 4-5 mile circuit produced about eighty species plus a good number of spring birds: blue and black-headed grosbeaks, lazuli buntings, ash-throated flycatchers, yellow warblers, and orioles. This area should be good until we get a few heat waves — just be sure to pick up a map at the entry kiosk. (JG)

 

Naturalist's rating: Very Good to Excellent

 

Topanga State Park

Nature Trail / Musch Trail

 Date: 4/22/05

 

 

         I got out early this A.M. and of course at 6:30 some of the flowers are still closed, but I got a pretty good list from a walk on the Nature Trail and on the Musch Trail from Trippet Ranch to the Hillside Dr. cutoff. Canyon sunflower, caterpillar phacelia, black sage, chemise, black mustard, popcorn flower, deer weed, vervain, golden yarrow, buckwheat brush, silver puffs, California everlasting, a lot of bush monkey flower, purple nightshade, white nightshade, twining snapdragon, Turkish rugging, blue dicks, a lot of fiesta flower, California buttercup, hummingbird sage, blue eyed grass, red stem filaree, Catalina mariposa lily, spring vetch, wild radish, owl's clover, bush and other lupine, miner's lettuce, golden stars, morning glory, bush sunflower, scarlet pimpernel, wishbone bush, white nightshade, Chinese houses, Carolina geranium and foothill penstemon. My assessment: a very good display with a lot of mustard, sunflowers, and

bush monkey flower.  (LH)

 

Naturalist's rating: Very Good

 

Zuma Canyon area

Miscellaneous Trails

 Date: 4/21/05

 

 

        On 4/21/05 we hiked the three trails in the Zuma Canyon area and found 98 species blooming, one of which we could not identify. We would give this a very good rating only because many of the blooms were of alien species which some would classify as noxious weeds. The trails are all well rutted by the recent rains and require care to maintain one's footing. We first went up to the end of the Zuma Canyon Trail and returned to pick up the Canyon View Trail and returned to the parking area via the Ocean View Trail. The flowers are reported as they were first encountered along the hike.

        Departing from the trail head at the end of Bonsall Rd. we encounter elderberry, black mustard, prickly sow thistle, scarlet pimpernel, hare barley, rupgut brome and milk thistle. Both cheese weed and a single bull mallow along with Italian thistle, vervain, deerweed, black sage, bush sunflower and wild radish were abundant. Soft brome, western ragweed, Calif. everlasting, red stem filaree, fuchsia flowered gooseberry, blue dick and bush monkey flower were spotted in that order. White nightshade, horehound, Calif. buckwheat, eucrypta, windmill pink and sugar bush added to the collection. Long beaked filaree, fiesta flower, golden top, creek monkey flower, microseris, succulent lupine, yellow sun cup and heart leaf penstemon added their colors to the trailside. Canyon sunflower, snakeroot, cobwebby thistle, annual bedstraw, curly dock and giant rye were identified in passing. Toyon was starting to bloom and the sycamores were finishing with many catkins hanging from the trees. The hillsides revealed a few yuccas and the spurge called Chinese caps were also found. Calif. figwort could hardly compete with the sticky phacelia and Parry's phacelia for display. Golden yarrow, silver puff, slender bedstraw, big pod ceanothus, and a good quantity of rigid hedge nettle were blooming. The trail edges were sprinkled with sticky popcorn flower and large flowered popcorn flower. Scarlet bugler added to the color diversity and mule fat and snowberry made their own contributions. Cliff aster, wishbone bush, wooly aster, small evening primrose, bajada lupine and the red dotted creek monkey flower were on display. Telegraph weed, slender oats, bush mallow, bush lupine, mustard evening primrose and wild sweet pea were encountered as we continued up the trail. The usual morning glory made its appearance accompanied by the coast paintbrush, Catalina Mariposa lily, red brome, chamise, Calif. sagebrush, hedge mustard and fern leaf phacelia. A few Indian pinks brightened the path along with Chilean lotus, caterpillar phacelia, minute flowered popcorn flower, Turkish rugging and western locoweed. Blue eyed grass, Calif. poppy, American vetch, common yarrow, golden star, gumplant and English plantain as well as coffee berry and pineapple weed concluded the floral display for the day.  (RWM)

 

Naturalist's rating: Very Good

 

Saddle Peak Area

Miscellaneous Trails

 Date: 4/18/05

 

 

         On 4/18/05 we hiked two adjacent trails; one to the top of Saddle Peak and the other to the Topanga lookout. These are both accessed from the parking area near the Stunt Rd and Schueren Rd intersection. This hike yielded the floral promise we have been expecting all spring. About 70 species were found in bloom, many of which were in large quantities. We had selected the Saddle Peak area on the chance that we would see some early blooming chaparral pea, and we were not disappointed. The masses of Spanish broom near the summit of the trail provided a splendid display of brilliant yellow accompanied by the sweet bouquet of its blossoms. This is one alien plant I do not regret seeing in our hills. Another bonus was several fair sized stands of silver lotus, which I especially appreciated since I had never spotted it before. Another surprise we had was the sight of apparently a mutant bush monkey flower exhibiting red and gold blossoms. A single Matilija poppy was blooming at the lookout site amid a large stand of the plants.

        Reporting on the sightings in color groups, we found the yellow/gold was the largest with only one fewer in the white/cream group. The former group included black mustard, deerweed, golden yarrow, silver puff, bush monkey flower, mustard evening primrose, and both bur and sour clover. The silver lotus, southern tauschia, slender bedstraw, common groundsel, brown microseris and Spanish broom were all plentiful. Prickly sow thistle, large flowered lotus and canyon sunflower were also present  A fair quantity of bush poppy was in bloom as was a few Calif. poppies and telegraph weed. The white/cream group provided flowers from the elderberry, Calif. buckwheat, chamise, and three of the popcorn flower species. Several Catalina Mariposa lilies and a couple of star lilies were also seen. The big pod ceanothus was still blooming up here and a good stand of red skinned onions were present. Eucrypta, velvet leaf everlasting, morning glory, Calif. everlasting and miner's lettuce all contributed to the show. Even bur chervil was found displaying its tiny white flower. Some wild cucumber, hollyleaf cherry, virgin's bower, sugarbush and the aforementioned Matilija poppy conclude this list.

        In the pink/red group we found large areas covered with Chilean clover and windmill pinks. Along with the chaparral pea there was also one fuchsia flowered gooseberry and one lingering chaparral current and several groupings of sweet pea. The lavender/blue/purple colorings were evidenced in the stands of black sage, dove lupine, hairy leaf ceanothus and bush lupine. Also found were redstem filaree, Italian thistle, blue dick, prickly phlox, fern leaf phacelia, purple nightshade and cheeseweed. A beautiful group of notable penstemon was seen and what was tentatively identified as Bajada lupine as well. A colorful group of fiesta flower concludes this group. It should be noted that amongst the usually bright blue dove lupines were several plants with all white flowers on them.

        Amongst the grasses still in bloom were golden top, slender oats, rescue grass, hare barley, rip-gut brome, fountain grass, wild oats, soft brome, red brome and some 4 or 5 others unidentified.

        The impact of the quantities and reasonably large number of species warrants an outstanding rating on ye olde bloom-ometer.  (RWM)

 

Naturalist's rating: Outstanding

 

Upper Zuma Canyon

 

 Date: 4/18/05

 

 

         Today we hiked Upper Zuma Canyon and the wildflower display was very good to excellent. There were big stands of bush lupine, black sage, Spanish broom, fiesta flower, deerweed, wishbone bush, sticky monkey flower and canyon sunflower.   Other finds were star lily, globe lily, clematis, blue larkspur, Parry's phacelia, caterpillar phacelia, large flower phacelia, hedge nettle, meadow rue, and prickly phlox. Some of the streams are now dried up and the remaining streams are easily crossed.  (KJ)

 

Naturalist's rating: Very Good to Excellent

 

Circle X Ranch

Grotto Trail

 Date: 4/11/05

 

 

        This easy-to-moderate trail goes downhill about 1.5 miles through riparian, grassland, and chaparral habitats, in shade and sun, with dramatic views of Boney Ridge and a couple of waterfalls. We counted seventy four species in bloom, not counting a few that we did not recognize. The Grotto remains a bit more challenging to get to since the winter's rains because of the high water levels. We get frequent questions from children regarding the California Newt seen in the stream and pools near the Grotto. Flower highlights include Evening Primroses, Lilies, Phacelias, a grassy field full of Vetches, a huge crop of Chinese Houses, Blue Larkspur, Blue Dicks, Crimson Pitcher Sage, and Nightshades. The appearance of Clarkias (including Purple Clarkia on the Canyon View Trail), and seed heads of the Silver Puffs remind us that Spring is well along now.

        The complete list includes Deerweed, Red-stem Filaree, Black Sage, California Buckwheat, California Filago, Black Mustard, Yellow Monkey flower, Creek Monkey Flower, Bush Monkey flower, Yellow Sweet Clover, Mustard Evening Primrose, Small Evening Primrose, Bush Sunflower, Canyon Sunflower, Bur Clover, Morning Glory, Pineapple Weed, California Everlasting, Two-tone Everlasting, Common Chickweed, Pacific Sanicle, Windmill Pink, Mule Fat, Annual Bedstraw, Climbing Bedstraw, Narrow-leaved Bedstraw, Spring Vetch, Winter Vetch, Blue Dick, Purple Nightshade, White Nightshade, Black Walnut, Silver Puffs, Caterpillar Phacelia, Parry's Phacelia, Fiesta Flower, Blue Larkspur, Chinese Houses, Popcorn Flower, Eucrypta, Miner's Lettuce, Chamise, Scarlet Pimpernel, Blue-eyed Grass, Golden Yarrow, Catalina Mariposa Lily, Star Lily, Bigpod Ceanothus, Greenbark Ceanothus, Wishbone Bush, Hollyleaf Cherry, Hollyleaf Redberry, Strigose Lotus, Coastal Lotus, Yucca, Rattlesnake Weed (Daucus Pusillus), Cliff Aster, Stinging Lupine, California Blackberry, Thread Stem, Common Groundsel, Twining Snapdragon, Fuchsia-flowered Gooseberry, Crimson Pitcher Sage, Hedge Nettle, Elderberry, Willow-herb Clarkia, Sugar Bush, Curly Dock, Coffeeberry, Wild Sweet Pea, Sow Thistle, Prickly Sow Thistle, Annual Cat's Ear. (TV)

 

Naturalist's rating: Very Good

 


 

 

Contact Information:

 

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

 

401 West Hillcrest Drive
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360

 

Ph. 805-370-2301

 

web. www.nps.gov/samo

 

Thank you

 

for your contributions:

 

Sheila Braden
Michael Charters
Burt Elliot
Jack Gillooly
Kathy Jonokuchi
Ken Low
Lynne Haigh
Robert W. Maughmer
Dorothy Steinicke
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