|
Page Revised: 6/22/05 |
|
|
|
Available Sites Circle X Ranch |
Date of Review 6/18/05, 6/17/05, 6/12/05
6/1/05, 5/23/05 |
|
|
What's Blooming photo
gallery: www.nps.gov/samo/bloom/bloom.htm |
||
|
Scenic drives: |
1. Mulholland Hwy between Malibu Canyon and Cornell
Rd. 2. Cornell Rd between Mulholland Hwy and Agoura Rd,
especially from Cornell Way to Agoura Rd. 3. Westlake Road from Potrero Rd. to Mulholland Hwy. 4. Yerba Buena Road, especially up from the coast. |
|
|
Circle X Ranch |
Grotto Trail |
Date: 6/18/05 |
|
|
|
We started from the group campground
and walked down to the Grotto and back, a round trip of about 2.5 miles. The
trail has been recently brushed so it was a pleasure to walk. Now heading
into summer we were pleased to see some of our favorite flowers including
Plummer's Mariposa Lily, Humboldt Lily, Bush Mallow, Heart-leaved Penstemon,
Scarlet Monkey Flower, Fleabane Aster, and Scarlet Larkspur. Lately I've been
seeing California Fuchsia in several places here at Circle X and was pleased
to see they are beginning to bloom on the Grotto trail as well. All told we
encountered almost 70 species in bloom. Other highlights include California
Wild Rose, Soap Plant, Bush Monkey Flower, Yellow Monkey Flower, Elegant
Clarkia, Farewell-to-Spring, Toyon, Woolly Blue Curls, Elderberry, White
Nightshade, Morning Glory, Golden Yarrow, Golden Stars, Indian Pink, Fish's
Milkwort, Bird's Beak, Western Thistle, and even a holdout Catalina Mariposa
Lily. (TV) |
|||
|
Naturalist's rating: Very Good |
|||
|
Circle X Ranch |
Mishe Mokwa Trail |
Date: 6/17/05 |
|
|
|
On 6/17/05 we hiked the Mishe Mokwa
trail primarily to see the reported rein orchids. We missed them on the way
out to Split Rock, but found two of them on the return trip. It was well
worth the trip in the all day drizzle to see them. A very light drizzle
persisted all day, but the moisture on the trail side vegetation is what
soaked us. Some 68 species were found to be blooming and because of the
quality and general quantity of each a very good rating is bestowed on this
trail. It seemed to be the day of the monocots which are frequently so colorful
in display. Amongst these as well as the rein orchid were Plummer's Mariposa
lily, yellow Mariposa lily, golden star, yucca, peninsular onion, Humboldt
lily, and soap plant. Seven or eight of the Humboldt lily plants were spotted
along the way, some sporting as many as five blooms plus more buds. Starting at the eastern most
trailhead off Yerba Buena Rd. we encountered hedge mustard, golden yarrow,
Calif. buckwheat, purple Clarkia, yellow star thistle, chamise and Calif
filago. A large quantity of Turkish rugging was present and
still some wooly blue curls, black sage, birds beak, slimy monkey
flower and slender tarweed. The laurel sumac is nearing full bloom
accompanied by bush mallow, bristly popcorn flower, scarlet larkspur, sticky
madia, lance-leaf live-forever, bush monkey flower and toyon. Continuing
along the trail we saw Calif. everlasting, morning glory, Calif. chicory,
Parry's phacelia, white pincushion, yellow monkey flower, a lot of white
pitcher sage and speckled Clarkia. Cliff aster, red stem filaree, blow wives,
and heartleaf penstemon were also seen. A hairy leaf ceanothus was still
blooming and purple night shade, small flowered fiddleneck, imbricate
phacelia, canyon sunflower and several chalk live-forevers
provided accompaniment. After the first Humboldt lily we
spotted chaparral honeysuckle, bush lupine, owl's clover, gold field, narrow
leaf bedstraw, scarlet monkey flower, vervain, windmill pink, wild
strawberry, curly dock, wild rose, horehound, American winter cress and
elderberry all in the vicinity of split rock. We attempted to continue on to
balanced rock, but the condition of that trail and the moisture on the brush
overgrowing it discouraged us from proceeding further than a third of the
way. On the way back we picked up the following blooms that we had previously
missed: California thistle, coffee berry bush, Chinese houses, caterpillar
phacelia, virgin's bower (large seed puffs), angels gilia and of course the
rein orchids. (RWM). |
|||
|
Naturalist's rating: Very Good |
|||
|
Malibu Creek State Park |
Tapia Spur Trail |
Date: 6/14/05 |
|
|
|
We only hiked the section of this
trail between the entrance road of the Salvation Army
camp in Tapia Park to the group campsite in Malibu Creek State Park, a bit
less than a mile. Highlights include Indian Milkweed, Narrow-leaved Milkweed,
Golden Yarrow, Foothill Penstemon, Canchalagua, Sticky False Gilia, Chamise,
Common Vervain, Purple Clarkia, Elegant Clarkia, Woolly Blue Curls, Bush
Mallow, White Snapdragon, Woolly Monkey Flower, Yellow Monkey Flower, Bush
Monkey Flower, Scarlet Larkspur, Heart-leaved Penstemon, Elderberry, Indian
Pink, Honeysuckle, Toyon, Yellow Pincushion, White Pincushion, Twiggy Wreath
Plant, Turkish Rugging, Bush Poppy, Purple Nightshade, Branching Phacelia,
Cliff Aster, Lance-leaf Live-Forever, Yucca, Mustard Evening Primrose,
Long-beaked Filaree, White Sage and a couple of different Sunflowers. (TV). |
|||
|
Naturalist's rating: Very Good |
|||
|
Lower Zuma Canyon |
Ocean View
& |
Date: 6/13/05 |
|
|
|
Although the lower trails in lower
Zuma Canyon tend to be rather "weedy," the upper ones can provide a
nice display of native wildflowers. The Ocean View / Canyon View loop is only
a little over two and a half miles, but the elevation change adds
significantly to the workout. I also added the short Scenic Trail loop and
found a couple of nice flowers there as well. Parts of the Canyon View trail
had an annoying burden of star thistle and made wearing shorts uncomfortable.
Over 70 species of flowers were seen, although there are many
"weedy" ones in this count and some are only lightly represented as
they are on their way out for the season. Sections of the trail were worthy
of a very good rating although most was only good. Highlights include Datura,
Elderberry, Common Vervain, Bush Mallow, Canyon Sunflower, Yucca, Horehound,
Turkey Mullein, White Nightshade, Branching Phacelia, Morning Glory, Cliff
Aster, Yarrow, Golden Yarrow, Bush Lupine, Twiggy Wreath Plant, California
Poppy, Bush Monkey Flower, Creek Monkey Flower, Scarlet Monkey Flower, Toyon,
Black Sage, Purple Sage, Gum Plant, Western Thistle, Indian Paintbrush,
Indian Pink, Soap Plant, Plummer's Mariposa Lily, several Dudleyas,
Chamise, Heart-leaved Penstemon, Chaparral Honeysuckle and Fish's
Milkwort. (TV). |
|||
|
Naturalist's rating: Good |
|||
|
Circle X Ranch |
Sandstone Peak via the
Mishe Mokwa Trailhead |
Date: 6/12/05 |
|
|
|
Our main purposes on this hike were
to visit Sandstone Peak and to check on the progress of the Rein Orchids on the
Mishe Mokwa trail. These inconspicuous slow growing plants are finally
beginning to bloom, rewarding the real die hard flower enthusiast. The
variety of flowers is down as we head into summer, although this section of
trail is never spectacular in that particular way. Many of the fifty or so species
encountered are of the "weedy" variety or on their last legs, so to
speak. However, there are still respectable displays of Bush Lupine, Yellow
Monkey Flower, Woolly Blue Curls, Black Sage, Chamise, Deerweed, Yucca,
Caterpillar Phacelia, and the Clarkias, although they are on their way out. Still going strong are California
Buckwheat, Bush Monkey Flower, Turkish Rugging, Golden Yarrow, Lance-leaf
Live-forever, Golden Stars, Yellow Mariposa Lily, Branching Phacelia,
Heart-leaved Penstemon, Flax-Flowered Linanthus, Chaparral Honeysuckle and
Pitcher Sage. Early yet in their blooming cycle are
Scarlet Larkspur, Slender Tarweed, Soap Plant, Bird's Beak, Chalk
Live-forever, Rein Orchid, and the magnificent Humboldt Lily. (TV) |
|||
|
Naturalist's rating: Good |
|||
|
Topanga State Park |
Santa Ynez Trail |
Date: 6/9/05 |
|
|
|
This trail can be accessed either
from Trippet Ranch above or the end of Vereda de la Montura Street off of
Palisades Drive in Palisades Highlands.
The accounting travels from low to high. Entering the trail you are
immediately in a shady riparian habitat.
There is still a lot of water in the creek. At the start of the trail there are black
sage, bush mallow, bush lupine, white nightshade and California
buckwheat. Going deeper into the woods
was sticky monkey flower, purple nightshade, California poppy, golden yarrow,
canyon sunflower and the best treat; multitudes of Humboldt lilies dangling
from tall plants. At the marked cross
trail you can go right to the waterfall, which is a lovely hike but this day
I went left toward Trippet Ranch. Very
shortly on the left you see cream bush in full flower cascading down the rock
wall. Continuing through the woods
there are caterpillar phacelia, farewell-to-spring, Santa Monica dudleya,
hedge nettle, blackberry flower, chicory and eucrypta. Abruptly the trail turns uphill and
into chaparral. This brings an
entirely different array of beautiful flowers. There are white snapdragons by the
hundreds, chamise, Turkish rugging, yellow monkey flower, white pincushion,
deerweed and some spectacular chalk live-forever. There is a spot where low along the trail
are the beautiful canchalagua mixed with owl's clover, scarlet bugler,
slender tarweed, heart leaf penstemon and California everlasting. Suddenly we were surrounded by hundreds of
scarlet larkspur, many 10 feet tall.
There were many Plummer's mariposas. Now low along the trail are sapphire wool
stars and a bit further fleabane aster.
There were lots of different varieties of lizards and of butterflies. Views are incredible. It was the best hike I've taken this
year. (DS) |
|||
|
Naturalist's rating: Excellent |
|||
|
Malibu Creek State Park |
Cistern trail to Crags
road |
Date: 6/5/05 |
|
|
|
On 6/5/05 we hiked down the Cistern
Trail off Mulholland Hwy. to Crags road to its end at Malibu Lake. Our objective
was to see the blooms on a California false indigo reported near the western
end of Crags Dr. in Malibu Creek State Park. We found the false indigo, but
unfortunately it had completed its blooming so we saw the foliage and dried
out blooms only. The hike though was an unqualified success though with 96
species blooming including the grasses. The quantity could be described only
as bountiful, so an excellent rating is given. Eight species could not be
immediately identified in the field, but subsequent research provided firm to
tentative names of the new sightings. The new ones for me were: flax-flowered
linanthus, Indian tobacco, western blue flax, stinky gilia, rose snapdragon and what I believe was several large
stands of horseradish. Other sightings which I have seldom seen were
California milkweed, white sage and a brilliant red purple Clarkia. Flowers in bloom in the white/cream
color group were cliff aster, chamise, California buckwheat, matilija poppy,
white snapdragon, bristly popcorn flower and yucca. There were also
California chicory, soap plant, morning glory, eucrypta, English plantain and
mugwort. Poison hemlock seems to be getting more plentiful than desired, but
we also spotted elderberry, imbricate phacelia, California filago, Datura,
narrow leaf milkweed and common yarrow. In the yellow/gold/orange group we
encountered hedge mustard, yellow star thistle, deerweed, slender tarweed,
golden yarrow, bush monkey flower, yellow monkey flower, sour clover, slender
bedstraw, sticky madia, gumplant, golden star, California coffee berry bush,
western wallflower, and black mustard. The usual prickly sow thistle and
telegraph weed were seen as well as California poppy, lance leaf dudleya,
Spanish broom, creek monkey flower, slimy monkey flower and a magnificent
Humboldt lily sporting 3 fully opened blooms and an additional 7 more waiting
their turns. Present along the way was sweet fennel, collarless Calif. poppy,
Barnaby's star thistle, pineapple weed, yellow Mariposa lily, and bush
sunflower. Present in the lavender/blue/purple
color group were Italian thistle, black sage, bush mallow, greenbark
ceanothus, Chinese houses, and purple nightshade. Others in this group were
wooly blue curls, purple sage, elegant Clarkia, caterpillar phacelia, vervain
and purple Clarkia (the lavender and purple variety). Speckled Clarkia, blue
larkspur, winter vetch, red stem filaree, and several nice stands of foothill
penstemon. Turkish rugging was plentiful, and long-beaked filaree, dove lupine,
speedwell and milk thistle were also found. Pink/rose/red were
represented by coast paint brush, heart leaf penstemon, scarlet pimpernel,
Plummer's Mariposa lily and California thistle. Equal billing must be
provided as well for the Indian pink, Calif. wild rose, chaparral
honeysuckle, and snowberry. Other sightings include giant rye,
Harding grass, coffee fern, curly dock, umbrella sedge, rabbit’s foot
grass, and rye grass. (RWM). |
|||
|
Naturalist's rating: Excellent |
|||
|
Circle X Ranch |
Canyon View Trail |
Date: 6/1/05 |
|
|
|
This trail is often one of the best
for flowers in the winter and spring, but now that spring is winding down it is
only good to fair. The worst of the infestation of foxtails and star thistle
have been recently removed making it a pleasure to walk in shorts again Highlights include Woolly Blue Curls,
Chamise, California Buckwheat, Parry's Phacelia, Large-flowered Phacelia,
Caterpillar Phacelia, Purple Nightshade, Black Sage, Golden Yarrow, Yucca,
Blue Dicks, Golden Stars, Turkish Rugging, Rock Rose, Purple Clarkia, Elegant
Clarkia, Scarlet Larkspur, Lance-leaf Live-forever, Yellow Pincushion, White
Pincushion, Wild Morning Glory, Linanthus, Laurel Sumac, Bush mallow, Yellow
Monkey Flower, Creek Monkey Flower, Bush monkey Flower, Slender Tarweed,
Mustard Evening Primrose, Annual Paintbrush, Rose Snapdragon, Cliff Aster,
California Chicory, Dodder, Heart-leaved Penstemon, and Windmill Pink. (TV) |
|||
|
Naturalist's rating: Fair |
|||
|
Malibu Creek State Park |
Misc. West end Trails |
Date: 5/31/05 |
|
|
|
We started at the parking lot in the
South-East corner of the intersection of Mulholland and Cornell Road and hiked
East toward Reagan Ranch. We hiked sections of most of the trails South of
Mulholland and West of Century Lake but not the Lost Cabin trail. This
includes a wild variety of habitats ranging from Oak Woodland to Valley
Grassland to Coastal Sage and Chaparral. Flower density is not as great now
that spring is winding down but we still saw several interesting flowers. Highlights include California Tea,
Spanish Clover, Speckled Clarkia, Elegant Clarkia, Purple Clarkia, Gum Plant,
Gumweed, Coffeeberry, Bush Monkey Flower, Downy Monkey Flower, Yellow Monkey
Flower, Golden Stars, Yarrow, Golden Yarrow, California Dandelion, Purple
Sage, White Sage, Crimson Pitcher Sage, Yucca, Yellow Mariposa Lily,
Linanthus, California Wild Rose, Globe Gilia, Slender Tarweed, Soap Plant,
several different Lupines, Wild Brodiaea, Woolly Blue Curls, Bush Mallow,
White Snapdragon, Indian Pink, Sticky False-gilia, California Poppy,
Collarless California Poppy, Matilija Poppy (and several unknown poppies,
probably garden escapees), Indian Paintbrush, Indian Milkweed, California
Milkweed, Narrow-leaved Milkweed, Foothill Penstemon, Wild Heliotrope,
Snowberry, Hedypnois, Parry's Phacelia, Mountain Phacelia (and other
phacelias), Chaparral Honeysuckle, Garden Toadflax, Lance-leaf Live-forever,
Bird's Beak, Blue-eyed Grass, Chinese Houses, Common Vervain, Chamise, Cliff
Aster, Common Madia, Blue Larkspur, Wild Morning Glory, Woolly Morning Glory,
Purple Nightshade, several different Sunflowers, Yellow Pincushion, White
Pincushion, False Indigo, Turkish Rugging, Wild Sweet Pea, and Scarlet
Bugler. (TV). |
|||
|
Naturalist's rating: Good |
|||
|
Point Mugu State Park |
Serrano Canyon Trail |
Date: 5/30/05 |
|
|
|
We started at the coast and walked up
Big Sycamore Canyon trail to Serrano Canyon trail and then to the gate on
Serrano Road, about 6 miles. Flowers are on the wane now that Spring is
winding down but several interesting flowers were still seen. The trail along
the creek under the cover of the oaks and sycamores is beautiful at any time
of the year but watch for the difficult to avoid poison oak. Highlights include Wild Rose, Yellow
Monkey Flower, Creek Monkey Flower, Black Sage, Canyon Sunflower, Common
Vervain, Bush mallow, Wild Morning Glory, Purple Sage, Coast Figwort,
Hedypnois, Elderberry, Yucca, Cliff Aster, Heart-leaved Penstemon, Datura,
Indian Paintbrush, Speedwell, Hedge Nettle, Bush Lupine, Farewell-to-Spring,
Golden Yarrow, Chinese Houses, White Nightshade, Purple Nightshade, Blue
Dicks, Slender Tarweed, Purple Snapdragon, Indian Pink, Chamise, Humboldt
Lily, Crimson Pitcher Sage, Blue-eyed Grass, Woolly Blue Curls, Toyon,
Turkish Rugging, Parry's Phacelia, Bird's Beak, Golden Stars, Spanish Clover,
Prickly Phlox, Long-beaked Filaree, Wishbone Bush, Woolly Aster, Fleabane
Aster, and Bush Sunflower. (TV) |
|||
|
Naturalist's rating: Good |
|||
|
Topanga State Park |
Musch Trail |
Date: 5/28/05 |
|
|
|
The hike from Topanga State Park (off
Entrada) to Eagle Rock via Musch Trail is spectacular right now. I have been
going there since I was young and right now it’s a real treat. This is a great hike when it’s socked
in at the beach and you want a little sun. If you want a really nice hike, I would
suggest going both ways on Musch trail and skip the fire road loop, going
back down the way you came gives a completely different perspective. It’s about 1.5 hour hike up to Eagle
rock and a little less on the way back. I’d say it’s easy to
moderate on the way up. The views from
the top of Eagle Rock are also spectacular. I’m not great at
identifying flowers, but there’s the usual buckwheat, monkey flowers,
yucca, and golden yarrow. (MF) |
|||
|
Naturalist's rating: Very
Good |
|||
|
Point Mugu State Park / Rancho Sierra Vista |
Satwiwa to the upper
Sycamore Canyon waterfalls |
Date: 5/26/05 |
|
|
|
This 3-mile round trip starts out in
rolling meadows of non-native "grasses-gone-by" with a few wildflower
patches (tarweed, CA poppies). Once you head into the upper canyon, however,
the hillside is covered in color: caterpillar phacelia, deerweed, ashy-leaf
and California buckwheat, black sage, bush mallow, yucca, silver puffs,
chamise, laurel sumac, chicory, and toyon. Particularly brilliant were
patches of heartleaf penstemon (red), speckled clarkia (pink), bush monkey
flower (peach), and soap lilies (white star-flowers that open in late
afternoon). At the bottom of the shady canyon,
some silver lupine was still in bloom along with a few giant Humboldt lilies.
Crossing the creek and heading to the waterfall, the riparian area had some
good-sized canyon sunflower bushes and scattered coast figwort, hedge nettle,
blackberry, and a lone chaparral pea (the uncommon one). At the base of the
waterfall, the rare round-leaved boykinia was flowering below a big patch of
giant chain-fern. With the creek and falls still
running well, this walk (and its extension downstream) should be nice for
another month. Upper Sycamore Canyon is also known for its abundance of
nesting birds, especially flycatchers, and many are heard singing through
summer. (JG) |
|||
|
Naturalist's rating: Good |
|||
|
Point Mugu State Park |
Big Sycamore Canyon Trail (lower) |
Date: 5/26/05 |
|
|
|
From Sycamore Cove, the first two
miles of this road/trail are relatively flat, offering a
easy stroll along the flowing creek. As this abundant wildflower year tapers
off, less variety is seen but often in great profusion. Among the 20 or so
species were robust clumps of purple sage, pink bush mallow, canyon
sunflower, giant poison hemlock, golden yarrow, elderberry, blue verbena,
white morning glory and jimson weed. Especially spectacular was a
chaparral-covered hillside dotted with hundreds of huge yucca blooms and wide
swaths of orange monkey flower. In the Santa Monicas,
it's been an outstanding year for both and just keeps getting better. The
hills directly adjacent to the ocean—the coastal sage scrub, or soft
chaparral—appear to have the highest densities of yucca, our largest
member of the lily family (not a cactus). Take care at the stone-step creek
crossings and watch for whizzing mountain-bikers. (JG) |
|||
|
Naturalist's rating: Good |
|||
|
Topanga State Park |
Temescal Ridge Trail |
Date: 5/25/05 |
|
|
|
We started hiking
at the trailhead off of Chastain Parkway and went North to the Trailer Canyon
Fire Road, less than a mile of the trail. We went up there mostly to look at
the Braunton's Rattle-weed, a rather rare flower currently in bloom. This
section of the trail is mostly dry sage and chaparral and while the variety
of flowers was not great it is quite densely flowered in places. Notable, in
addition to the above mentioned rattle-weed, include Bush Monkey Flower,
Golden Yarrow, Wild Morning Glory, California Buckwheat, Gumweed,
Heart-leaved Penstemon, White Nightshade, Toyon, Bush Lupine, Bush Senecio,
Cobweb Thistle, and Cliff Aster. (TV) |
|||
|
Naturalist's rating: Good |
|||
|
Circle X Ranch |
Backbone Trail near
Sandstone Peak |
Date: 5/23/05 |
|
|
|
This is my report of the blooms which
we encountered on the hike on the Backbone Trail between the Sandstone Peak
trailhead and the vicinity of Tri-peaks on 5/23/05. I recorded 88 species
identified excluding the grasses and would rate the hike as very good.
Highlights to me include the 9 species seen or identified for the first time.
These include Calif filago, small-flowered flax, fire poppy, wild brodiaea,
phlox-leaved bedstraw, rattlesnake weed, yellow-throated phacelia and the
subsequently identified downy monkey flower. Though our main objective on the
hike was to see the rein orchids in bloom, we were still too early, but did
spot over a dozen readying themselves to bloom in the next few weeks. Other blooms seen in their color
categories, starting with white and cream were Calif buckwheat, chamise,
popcorn flower, prickly popcorn flower, yucca, white pincushion, morning
glory, Calif chicory, Calif everlasting, cliff aster, Catalina Mariposa lily,
big pod ceanothus, eucrypta, willow-herb Clarkia, star lily, white pitcher
sage, elderberry, hollyleaf cherry, bur chervil, white nightshade, red skin
onion, and large flowered popcorn flower. Other yellow/golden flowers seen were
hedge mustard, deerweed, yellow star thistle, golden yarrow, slender tarweed,
sticky madia, sow thistle, yellow monkey flower, yellow Mariposa lily, golden
star, mustard evening primrose, slender bedstraw, bush monkey flower, small
evening primrose, strigose lotus, fiddleneck, silver puff, rock rose, Chile
lotus, annual cats ear, common groundsel, yellow pincushion, coastal lotus,
coast goldfield, Southern tauschia, and slimy monkey flower. Violet/blues included redstem filaree, black sage, purple Clarkia, blue dick,
large flowered phacelia, caterpillar phacelia, fern leaf phacelia, Bajada
lupine, purple nightshade, wooly blue curls, globe gilia, speckled Clarkia,
sticky phacelia, Chinese houses, branching phacelia, prickly phlox,
peninsular onion, hairy leaf ceanothus, blue larkspur, tomcat clover, yerba
santa, and angels gilia. Red/pink colors were represented by
Turkish rugging, owl's clover, scarlet pimpernel and windmill pink. Others
seen were giant rye, curly dock, lance leaf live forever, slender cotton weed, and several tiny unidentified yellow flowers
apparently of the evening primrose and lotus families. Many Calif whiptail
lizards were encountered and one bobcat was seen when driving to the
trailhead. (RWM) |
|||
|
Naturalist's rating: Very
Good |
|||
|
|
|
Santa
Monica Mountains National Recreation Area 401 West
Hillcrest Drive Ph.
805-370-2301 web. www.nps.gov/samo |
Thank
you for your
contributions: Burt
Elliot |
If you
would like to contribute to the wildflower report: e-mail: or phone
Tony at 310-457-6408 |
|
|
||
