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Page Revised: 4/28/05 |
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Available Sites Cold Creek Preserve |
Date of Review 4/27/05 |
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See the photo gallery of
What’s Blooming at: http://www.nps.gov/samo/bloom/bloom.htm |
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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 |
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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. |
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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
Drive, 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. |
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Cold Creek Preserve |
Stunt High Trail |
Date: 4/27/05 |
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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) |
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Naturalist's rating: Good |
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Triunfo Creek Park |
Pentachaeta Trail |
Date: 4/26/05 |
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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) |
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Naturalist's rating:
Excellent |
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Circle X Ranch |
Backbone Trail below Triunfo
Peak |
Date: 4/24/05 |
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We hiked a piece of one of the newest
segments of the Backbone Trail from the intersection of the trail with Yerba
Buena road at about mile marker 7.5 up to the Triunfo peak access road and then
back on Yerba Buena. Altogether about eighty species were encountered
although the lack of dense stands of flowers prevents a rating above good. On
the other hand some of the flowers here are rather unique. Highlights include
Holly-leaved Cherry, Wild Morning Glory, Chamise, Bush Monkey Flower, Yellow
Monkey Flower, Fiesta Flower, Hedge Nettle, Fire Poppy, Bleeding Heart,
Canyon Sunflower, Chinese Houses, Peninsular Onion, Rock Rose, Pitcher Sage,
Blue Dicks, Douglas Sandwort, Lance-leaf Live-forever, Prickly Phlox,
Brewer's Red Maids, Woolly Blue Curls, Globe Gilia, Twining Snapdragon,
Collarless California Poppy, Caterpillar Phacelia, Parry's Phacelia,
Large-flowered Phacelia, Mustard Evening Primrose, Several different Lupines,
Catalina Mariposa Lily, Star Lily, Virgin's Bower, Fuchsia-flowered
Gooseberry, Elderberry, and Yerba Santa.
(TV). |
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Naturalist's rating: Good |
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Paramount Ranch |
Several Trails |
Date: 4/22/05 |
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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) |
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Naturalist's rating: Very Good to Excellent |
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Topanga State Park |
Nature Trail / Musch Trail |
Date: 4/22/05 |
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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) |
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Naturalist's rating: Very Good |
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Zuma Canyon area |
Miscellaneous Trails |
Date: 4/21/05 |
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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) |
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Naturalist's rating: Very Good |
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Saddle Peak Area |
Miscellaneous Trails |
Date: 4/18/05 |
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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) |
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Naturalist's rating:
Outstanding |
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Upper Zuma Canyon |
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Date: 4/18/05 |
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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) |
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Naturalist's rating: Very Good to Excellent |
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Circle X Ranch |
Grotto Trail |
Date: 4/11/05 |
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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) |
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Naturalist's rating: Very
Good |
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Newton & Upper
Solstice Canyons |
The Backbone Trail |
Date: 4/9/05 |
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This hike was the fifth of the NPS
2004-2005 Backbone Trail Series. We will be hiking the entire Backbone Trail,
one part each month and reporting on the flowers seen. A couple of the early
hikes that were rained out have been re-scheduled for April and May resulting
in two hikes in each of these months. This hike was from the Kanan Dume Road
Trailhead to the Corral Canyon Road trailhead, about 6.5 miles. This trail
drops into cool oak groves and rises up to dry sage scrub several times along
its length providing multiple opportunities to see a large variety of
flowers. We recorded seeing 119 different species in bloom. Several of the
flower displays were quite spectacular, especially among the blue flowers. We
are still waiting for that superlative display that will earn an excellent
rating. Highlights include masses of Fiesta
Flowers, frequent Catalina Mariposa Lilies, Star Lilies, Indian Paintbrush,
Monkey flowers, good quantities of both Parry's and Caterpillar Phacelias,
Sunflowers, several different Lupines, Evening Primrose, Blue-eyed Grass,
Chinese Houses, groves of Chamise, Crimson Pitcher Sage, Indian Pink, Woolly Blue Curls, California Poppies,
Tree Poppy, many Blue Dick, and Globe Gilia. (BE & TV) |
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Naturalist's rating: Very Good |
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Point Mugu State Park |
Chumash Trail / |
Date: 4/5/05 |
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The steep ascent from PCH via the
Chumash trail is strenuous and has tricky footing in places. A walking stick might
be a good idea. The reward is an unobstructed view of the coast just off of
the Seabee firing range. This trail is principally coastal sage scrub but
since it is literally right on the coast it shows a slightly different mix of
plants than seen in the sage scrub more frequently encountered in the
interior of the Rec. Area. At the top I always stop to look at the native
bunchgrasses in the wide-open grassland. We continued on to the La Jolla Loop
trail and took the lower branch back to the La Jolla Canyon Trail and finally
to the Ray Miller Trailhead. Down below you can get the impression that
summer is just around the corner as things are really beginning to dry out.
We also did a very quick side jaunt up the Mugu Peak Trail to see what was
blooming near the creek. Parts of the La Jolla Loop Trail had a great deal of
Poison Oak along the trail margin. It could be avoided if you were careful,
but if you don't know what it looks like you have almost no chance of
avoiding it. In addition, Mosquitoes were thick along a couple of short
sections so repellent might not be a bad idea if you plan on stopping near
the creek. Highlights include Indian Paintbrush, many Catalina Mariposa
Lilies, Blue-eyed Grass, several different Lupines, Bush Monkey Flower, Bush
Mallow, Southern California Locoweed, Sticky Cinquefoil, Chinese Houses,
Larkspur, and Indian Pink. Altogether about eighty different species were
encountered. The complete list includes: Deerweed,
Indian Paintbrush, Black Mustard, Black Sage, Catalina Mariposa Lily, Wild
Morning Glory, White Sweet Clover, Golden Yarrow, Bush Sunflower, Bur Clover
Blue-eyed Grass, California Buckwheat, Stinging Lupine, Succulent Lupine,
Bush Lupine, Bush Mallow, Parry's Phacelia, Blue Dicks, Oxalis, White
Pincushion, Coastal Lotus, Lance-leaf Live-forever, Bush Monkey Flower,
Toyon, Giant Coreopsis, Rattlesnake Weed (Daucus Pusillus), Yucca, Small
Evening Primrose, Whispering Bells, Narrow-leaved Bedstraw, Wishbone Bush,
Shiny Lomatium, California Filago, Snakeroot, Lemonade Berry, Red-stem
Filaree, Southern California Locoweed, Horehound, Sow Thistle, California
Sagebrush, Wild Cucumber, Cliff aster, Cheeseweed, Pineapple Weed. Eucrypta,
Winter Vetch, Italian Thistle, Pacific Sanicle, Poison Oak, Wild Sweet Pea,
California Blackberry, Hedge Nettle, Crimson Pitcher Sage, Scarlet Pimpernel,
Annual Bedstraw, Strigose Lotus, Coulter's Lupine, Tomcat Clover, Field
Clover, Woolly Aster, Sticky Cinquefoil, Fiesta Flower, Purple Nightshade,
Chinese Houses, Climbing Bedstraw, Larkspur, Miners Lettuce, Indian Pink,
Curly Dock, California Wild Rose, Greenbark Ceanothus, Bigpod Ceanothus,
Southern Tauschia, Caterpillar Phacelia, Peninsular Onion, Mule Fat, and
Prostrate Coast Goldenbush. (TV). |
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Naturalist's rating: Good to Very Good |
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Zuma & Trancas
Canyons |
Zuma Loop Trail |
Date: 4/3/05 |
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About 25 species of wildflowers are
in bloom in the lower canyon area. Dominant species include: bush and canyon sunflowers,
scarlet pimpernel, black sage, and fiesta flower. Other species along the
higher portion of the loop trail include Catalina mariposa lily, Indian
paintbrush, bush lupine and blue-eyed grass. There is still a good amount of
water flowing through Zuma Creek. All creek crossings are passable with some
rock hopping. (KL) |
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Naturalist's rating: Good |
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Solstice Canyon |
Solstice Canyon Trail |
Date: 3/31/05 |
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Along the easy 1.25 mile trail to Tropical
Terrace, flowers are sparse. Sages, sunflowers, and poppies are common in the
re-vegetation area, but outside of that only single specimens are showing
here and there. Near the Keller House are the bright oranges, purple and
yellow of nasturtium, bull mallow and oxalis – all non-natives. We
counted ten species blooming along the by pass road and only 5 more on the
way up to the Tropical Terrace. White nightshade and hedge nettle made a nice
grouping in the shaded area just before the Sostomo Trail cut off. (SB) |
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Naturalist's rating: Fair |
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Cheeseboro & Palo
Comado Canyons |
China Flat Trail |
Date: 3/30/05 |
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On 3/30/05 we hiked the China Flat Trail
in the Cheeseboro/Palo Comado canyon preserve. The trail was badly rutted by
the recent rains, but dry. The flowers were out in large quantities with 82
species identified, warranting a very good rating. Starting immediately at
the trail head just off Lindero Canyon Rd. we found a profusion of blooms
starting with the mundane prickly sow thistle, sour clover, red stem filaree,
hedge mustard, horehound, popcorn flower and bush
sunflower. A large stand of Chilean clover and some windmill pinks, bur clover
and scarlet pimpernel were scattered along the trail. Chamise, small evening
primrose, black sage, hoary leaf ceanothus, bush monkey flower and wooly blue
curl were also abundant. Yerba Santa was found all along the trail. The
foliage was quite ragged, but many blooms were present. The lavender rock
rose (Cistus), mule fat, blue dick,
and masses of the long billed filaree were also seen. Annual cat's ear, owl's
clover, dove lupine, purple nightshade, and wild
cucumber had several representatives in bloom. Many small flowers were
present in amongst the grasses including Chile lotus, Minute flowered popcorn
flower, strigose lotus, silver puff and angel’s gilia. Proceeding further up the canyon we
found Calif. buckwheat, mustard evening primrose, fern-leaf phacelia, morning
glory, violet snapdragon and chia. Eucrypta, wishbone bush, stinging lupine,
yellow monkey flower and common groundsel were also flowering. Deerweed was
starting to bloom and many yellow pincushions were present. We spotted slender bedstraw, tumbling
mustard, two toned everlasting, and both the common Calif. poppy and the
collarless poppy. Lace pod, Calif everlasting, fiddle neck, collared lupine
and cobwebby thistle were plentiful. Several prickly phlox, black mustard,
velvet leaf everlasting, sun cup and snake root were seen. The bright blue
flowers of the hairy ceanothus and lots of miner's lettuce and some annual
bedstraw were found. Fiesta flower, chickweed, spring vetch, pineapple weed,
and dandelion were also found. Several elderberry were blooming as were small
flowered fiddleneck, western ragweed, shepherd's purse, and a single purple Clarkia. Grasses in bloom include soft brome,
wild oats, hare barley, golden top, slender oats, rip-gut brome, Madrid
brome, and red brome. (RWM) |
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Naturalist's rating: Very Good |
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Rancho Sierra Vista |
Satwiwa Loop / Hidden
Valley Overlook |
Date: 3/29/05 |
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As the meadow grasses go to seed,
the hills and canyons are coming into peak bloom with nearly 60 wildflower
species seen. The high part of the loop—a half-mile stretch between the
windmill and Upper Sycamore Canyon Trail—continues to show the best
variety. Notables included hedge nettle, snake root, the last shooting stars,
dove lupine, blue-eyed grass, continuing ceanothus, Indian pinks, black sage,
fiesta flower, and miner’s lettuce. Better yet, the Hidden Valley
Overlook Trail—often “overlooked,” but with great ocean
views—turned up a profusion of mariposa lilies and golden yarrow, with
lots of bush sunflowers, wishbone bush, and the first CA buckwheat and bush
mallow. With this much on the lip of Upper Sycamore Canyon, the trail to the
stream, waterfall, and down-canyon should be overflowing with flowers. (JG) |
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Naturalist's rating: Good to Very Good |
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Circle X Ranch |
Canyon View Trail |
Date: 3/27/05 |
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The Canyon View Trail is really one
of the best for flowers. Right off the
bat there is chamise, blue dicks, California buckwheat and black sage in
bloom. In the frequent exposed rocky
places there is an array of yellow monkey flower, larkspur, parry's phacelia,
mustard evening primrose, popcorn flower and chia. There are big patches of globe gilia along
the trail. In one spot there are
caterpillar, big flower and parry's phacelia all growing together. There is golden yarrow, sticky monkey
flower, deerweed, stinging lupine, purple nightshade and woolly blue curls.
There are more star lilies this year than I have ever seen before. There are several lovely groups of mariposa
lilies. There are creeks which are
frequently dry that are now flowing with water. By these creeks red-skinned onion and
annual paintbrush are blooming. There
are many clumps of rock rose. (DS) |
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Naturalist's rating: Very
Good |
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Santa
Monica Mountains National Recreation Area 401 West
Hillcrest Drive Ph.
805-370-2301 web. www.nps.gov/samo |
Thank
you for your
contributions: Sheila
Braden |
If you
would like to contribute to the wildflower report: e-mail: or phone
Tony at 310-457-6408 |
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