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Page Revised: 2/10/06 |
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Available Sites Nicholas
Flat |
Date of Review 2/6/06 |
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Nicholas Flat |
various trails |
Date: 2/6/06 |
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This seldom visited area has lots to offer
in a small space even though the wildflowers are just starting to bloom. On
the drive to the area off of Decker Road, lots of big pod ceanothus were
blooming, but only a few buds were open at Nicholas Flat. We saw an
occasional bloom here and there, such as canyon sunflower, wild sweet pea,
hummingbird sage, greenbark ceanothus, chaparral currant, California
everlasting and fiddleneck. On the slopes where chocolate lilies will bloom
later, there were quite a few shooting stars. The pond is full and had
several migratory birds in it: ring neck ducks, pied bill grebes and
buffleheads as well as the usual coots. The highlight for us was the lichens.
They’re all over the oaks and many other plants as well. We saw green
shield lichens, firedot and candleflame
lichens. These are the grey green, yellow and orangy
lichen crusts on the trees and shrubs. Dotted ramalina
lichens were hanging down from the bare branches of the bush mallow. Perhaps
the lichens were more visible since the bushes have not leafed out yet, but
they were a treat to see. (SB) |
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Naturalist's rating: just beginning |
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Will Rogers State Park |
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Date: 2/2/06 |
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Starting at the front parking kiosk and
going up the hill staying on the trail more than the fireroad.
Things are greening up and starting to bloom.
Big pod ceanothus has a good start through the park. Big berry manzanita are in full bloom with
their delicate bells well attended by hummingbirds. There is also a fair amount of deerweed
and California everlasting. Lots of
little starts of things; one clump of wishbone flower, a little purple
nightshade, a single chaparral current bush, one stand of rock rose and a
single bush poppy. It can't compare to
last February but it is still lovely.
(DS) |
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Naturalist's rating: Fair |
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Solstice Canyon |
Solstice Canyon Trail |
Date: 1/22/06 |
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Spring flowers are already starting
to bloom along the easy trail to Tropical Terrace. White flowers of California
blackberry are poking out. A few plants of both white and purple nightshade
are in bloom as well as wild cucumber. Poison oak is sprouting lush, green
new leaves. Sugarbushes are in bud. The streamside
alders have already produced both catkins and cones. Of course, all the usual
non-natives are starting to bloom too. You’ll see mustard, beggar ticks
and Bermuda buttercups. Just before you reach the tropical terrace,
you’ll find bay trees in bloom. Be sure to smell the flowers on the bay
trees which smell like mild gardenias and so different from the spicy smell
of the bay leaves. (SB) |
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Naturalist's rating: Poor, but
promising |
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Circle X Ranch |
All trails |
Date: 1/9/06 |
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Very little change since the last
report in November. The scattered holdouts from last summer are now pretty
much gone and most of the new season’s flowers are still only
represented by scattered individuals that are well ahead of the majority.
Consequently, the flower density remains very low and the species count only
slightly above a couple of dozen. Bigpod ceanothus has been making slow but
steady gains on several trails but most are not yet blooming. In some
locations the chaparral current are finishing up and now in fruit, but in others
they are still flowering well. The bigberry manzanitas on the Mishe Mokwa
trail are definitely winding down but in compensation a few of the Eastwood
manzanitas up by Sandstone peak are beginning to bloom. One location on the
Triunfo section of the backbone trail has a grand display of purple
nightshade and cliff aster but most of the rest of the trail is quite barren.
Except for the part of the trail that skirts the creek the canyon view trail
is devoid of flowers. Similarly, the grotto trail has little to show in the
way of flowers. On the other hand all trials are in good condition and have
greened up quite nicely. Several of the creeks have water in them again and
greet the hiker with their conversation. With the clearer air hikes to
Sandstone peak regularly reveal the even the most distant of the Channel
Islands as well as far off snow-capped peaks. The abundance of plants and
even swelling flower buds suggests that given some warm weather the flower
situation will improve rapidly. Among the scattered flowers
we’ve recently encountered at CXR are annual paintbrush, white hedge
nettle, tree tobacco, red-stem filaree, two-tone everlasting, wishbone bush,
both bush and canyon sunflowers, deerweed, telegraph weed, twiggy wreath
plant, mule fat, California bay, silk-tassel bush, shooting stars, wild
cucumber, greenbark ceanothus, Southern tauschia, golden yarrow, wild morning
glory, rock rose, and hillside gooseberry.
(TV) |
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Naturalist's rating: Poor |
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Rancho Sierra Vista |
Satwiwa Loop Trail |
Date: 12/18/05 |
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A cool, cloudy day was perfect to see
the usual early bloomers appearing on this short (1.5 mile) loop trail. There
are a lots of chaparral currant, known as our earliest bloomer. A few late summer/fall flowers, such as
mallow and mule fat, are still hanging on to bushes. Big pod ceanothus is in
bud and many blooms are already opening. A few bushes of purple nightshade
have lots of blooms. Toyon is loaded with luscious red berries, although some
bushes have already been stripped by the birds. (SB) |
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Naturalist's rating: Promising, but
poor, due to quantity. |
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Point Mugu State Park |
Backbone trail: Ray
Miller to Danielson Multi-use |
Date: 12/10/05 |
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Each
month between December and June the National Park Service (NPS) escorts
hikers on sequential segments of the Backbone Trail Hike (BBT). Car and van shuttles facilitate the
logistics. The hikers are chosen in
November. If you're interested in
participating in next year's walk contact the NPS Visitors Center,
805-370-2301. Perfect weather accompanied the lead
segment of this year's NPS BBT hike.
Unending views of the Channel Islands, dramatic clouds and far off
interior mountain ranges literally placed us in the middle of wide open
spaces. The area is still very
dry. Plants greened up with the
October precipitation, but they aren't yet willing to risk their future
generations on our unpredictable weather.
Blooms are just around the corner if the elements would only
cooperate. Climbing out of La Jolla Canyon's
Riparian environment, the hills of Coastal Sage Scrub held limited species
offerings. Sometimes just a single
flower was all one could enjoy. As we
descended back into the Riparian floor of Sycamore Canyon the gold, yellow
and greens of the canyon's namesake tree were glorious. Some of the perennial shrub species are
holding a good bloom quite well, but you'll have to be patient for the burst
of color. Blooms are either fall
holdovers or winter's early arrivals, mixed in with some ubiquitous
exotics. As we walked we noted: mule
fat, coyote bush, lemonade berry, ashy leaf buckwheat, bladderpod, deerweed,
wand chicory, black mustard, big-pod ceanothus, chaparral currant, squaw
spurge, and four o'clock. Also enjoyed
were: sugar bush, purple nightshade, cliff-aster, prickly phlox, gum plant,
woolly aster, California fuchsia, wand buckwheat, chamise; greasewood, tree
tobacco, and telegraph weed (RW) |
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Naturalist's rating: Poor |
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Santa
Monica Mountains National Recreation Area 401 West
Hillcrest Drive 805-370-2301 |
Thank
you for your contributions: Burt
Elliot Ralph Waycott |
If you
would like to contribute to the wildflower report: e-mail: or phone
Tony at 310-457-6408 |
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