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Page Revised: 5/13/05 |
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Available Sites Topanga
State Park |
Date of Review 5/11/05 & 5/1/05 |
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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 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. |
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Topanga State Park |
Nature Trail |
Date: 5/11/05 |
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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) |
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Naturalist's rating: Good |
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Circle X Ranch |
Backbone Trail below
Triunfo Peak |
Date: 5/9/05 |
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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) |
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Naturalist's rating: Good |
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Malibu Creek State Park |
Crags Road / Bulldog Road |
Date: 5/3/05 |
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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) |
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Naturalist's rating: Very
Good |
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Lower Zuma Canyon |
Zuma Canyon Trail / Zuma Loop Trail |
Date: 5/3/05 |
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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). |
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Naturalist's rating: Fair
to Good |
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Circle X Ranch |
Mishe Mokwa Loop |
Date: 5/2/05 |
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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) |
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Naturalist's rating: Good |
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Topanga State Park |
Musch Trail |
Date: 5/1/05 |
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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) |
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Naturalist's rating: Good |
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Circle X Ranch |
Canyon View Trail |
Date: 4/30/05 |
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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) |
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Naturalist's rating: Very
Good |
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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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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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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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