Available Sites		Revised: 10/22/04
Circle X Ranch Point Mugu State Park Rancho Sierra Vista Paramount Ranch Rocky Oaks	10/22/04 10/12/04 10/11/04 10/11/04 9/8/04
See the photo gallery of What’s Blooming at: http://www.nps.gov/samo/bloom/bloom.htm
The first rain of the year has fallen in the Rec Area but it’s still too soon to see much change. By this weekend many of the trails will have dried enough to be free of the worst of the mud. The cool fall weather helps make strenuous hiking more safe and enjoyable.

Circle X Ranch	Grotto Trail	Date Observed:10/22/04
The recent rain and cooler weather has made everything feel fresh and clean. The sunny sides of slopes are showing a multitude of tiny green plants that have sprouted in the last few days. However, it seems even the summer bloomers are running out now, many of which are down to a few isolated individuals still blooming when most of their siblings have already gone to seed for the season. In addition, many of the individuals still blooming are a bit faded and/or wilted. At the top end of the trail you can still find Milk-asters (both Tejon and Twiggy Wreath Plant) and the similar Cliff-Aster. The Woolly Asters are looking a bit faded but are still easy to find. Only a few Sawtooth Goldenbush are still blooming, most instead showing their brown dandelion-like seed heads. The California Fuchsia is still plentiful adding a striking red to the landscape. Down near the grotto we encounter California Sagebrush and Wand Buckwheat. The tadpoles are at last gone but the pools of the creek are all full again and the sound of water is everywhere. Elsewhere at CXR one can see booming Bush Senecio, Black Mustard, California Buckwheat, Ashy Leaf Buckwheat, Felt-leaf Everlasting, Telegraph Weed, California Brickelbush, Coyote Brush, Toyon, Tree Tobacco, and even a few Red Shank blossoms. (TV)
Naturalist's rating: Poor

Circle X Ranch	Sandstone Peak Trail	Date Observed:10/13/04
It seems even the summer bloomers are running out now, many of which are down to a few isolated individuals still blooming when most of their siblings had already gone to seed for the season. In addition, many of the individuals still blooming are a bit faded and/or wilted This is a good time of year to see if you can identify plants when in seed. Nevertheless, we saw a few saw examples of Bush Senecio, Twiggy Wreath Plant, Tejon Milk Aster, Wooly Aster, Sawtooth Golden Bush, and California Buckwheat. (TV)
Naturalist's rating: Poor

Point Mugu State Park	La Jolla Canyon Trail	Date Observed: 10/12/04
On 10/12/04 we hiked the La Jolla Canyon Trail to the Large pond at the north end of the trail and returned via one of the loop trails. The degree of the present drought was evidenced by the total lack of water in the pond. Over the last 6 years I have never seen this pond dry, but this year the cracked mud bottom was fully exposed. The little pond and spring about 0.6 miles north of the trail head was also completely dry, another first. Despite these outward signs of the drought a surprising number of blooms were encountered along the trail, 23 different species to be exact. This is more than were seen on hikes in July and August this year. The yellow blooms were the dominant group and included sawtooth goldenbush, telegraph weed, Calif. sage brush, sweet fennel, tree tobacco, western goldenrod, hedge mustard, gum plant, and ragweed. White flowers seen were morning glory, ashy-leaved buckwheat, coyote bush, mule flat, cud weed, cliff aster and laurel sumac. Even reds were represented with scarlet monkey flower, hoary fuchsia, and wand buckwheat being spotted. Wooly aster, vervain, Calif. loosestrife and several bush mallow represented the lavender/purple colors. The wildlife seen included brush rabbits, groups of tits, and one granddaddy of a Calif. whiptail lizards that must have been 16 to 18 inches long. I don't know where the wild life is getting its water, but it seems to be plentiful with lots of deer tracks also seen. (RWM)
Naturalist's rating: Fair

Rancho Sierra Vista	Native Plant Garden	Date Observed: 10/11/2004
Reliable water brings out continual bloom here. You'll see both spring (fuchsia flowered gooseberry, verbain, California wild rose, sticky monkey flower, purple sage, bladderpod, yerba mansa) and summer blooms (California fuchsia, conejo buckwheat, wand buckwheat) as well as dried berries (rose hips) and pods (yerba mansa, narrow-leaved milkweed) (SB)
Naturalist's rating: Fair

Paramount Ranch	Coyote Canyon Trail	Date Observed: 10/11/2004
The hillside behind the meadow and the Coyote Canyon Trail are covered with large yellow hawkfield tarweed flowers interspersed with blue flowers of chicory. The trail has a very nice patch of vinegar weed. Also blooming were coast goldenbush, bush mallow and ashy leaf buckwheat. (SB)
Naturalist's rating: Fair

Rocky Oaks	Date Observed:9/08/04
Rocky is another unit with a variety of habitats. The pond is a major feature because of the persistent moisture. Consequently near the pond we see flowers not present in some other locations or flowers that have elsewhere quit blooming. In the low areas we can see Yellow Water Weed, stands of Water Smartweed, Cattail, Wild Heliotrope, Lowland Cudweed, a few scattered Narrow-leaved Milkweed, and some Purple Nightshade still in bloom. To the west of the pond there is a field enclosed by the Rocky Oaks Loop Trail that is quite dense with summer flowers including Sawtooth Goldenbush, Wooly Aster, Slender Tarweed, Wand Buckwheat, Telegraph Weed, Vinegar Weed, Twiggy Wreath Plant, Common Madia, and the California Poppy. Note that some of these flowers close up in the heat of the day so it is best to try and see them in the morning. Continuing west we encounter a grassy meadow with the splendid blue blossoms of Chicory. And lastly, almost to the edge of the property, we enter a drainage that still has a nice stand of California Wild Rose blooming. Amongst the roses are bright red California Fuchsia and a more erect example of the delightful Yellow Water Weed. Elsewhere at Rocky we can see Western Ragweed, Black Mustard, Coyote Bush, Mule Flat, Bull Thistle, Milk Thistle, Horseweed, and the tiny (but tall) Field Willow-herb. (TV)
Naturalist's rating: Fair

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: Robert W. Maughmer Tony Valois	If you would like to contribute to the wildflower report: e-mail: sheila_braden@nps.gov or phone her at 805-370-2394