|
Page Revised: 8/20/05 |
|
|
Available Sites Circle X Ranch |
Date of Review 8/18/05 & 7/27/05. 8/5/05. |
|
What's Blooming photo
gallery: www.nps.gov/samo/bloom/bloom.htm |
|
|
Circle X Ranch |
Grotto Trail |
Date: 8/18/05 |
|
|
|
Well into summer now we counted only
37 different species, and several of these were only lightly represented. The
area’s summer flowers are now pretty well represented, although some,
like the Sawtooth Goldenbush, are still only in bud. Highlights included California
Fuchsia, Narrow-leaved Milkweed, Bush Mallow, a few Heart-leaved Penstemon,
Mugwort, Wild Tarragon, Woolly Aster, some Bird's Beak, Twiggy Wreath Plant, a
nice display of Tejon Milk Aster, Creek Monkey Flower, Scarlet Monkey Flower,
Cliff Aster, Fish's Milkwort, Leather Root, and Spanish Clover. (TV) |
|||
|
Naturalist's rating: Fair |
|||
|
Calabasas Peak Area |
Misc. Trails |
Date: 8/5/05 |
|
|
|
On 8/5/05 we hiked along the
Calabasas Motorway to Calabasas Peak from the trailhead off Stunt Rd. We had
as an objective to find the Santa Susana tarweed that had been seen about
five years ago along this trail. We were amply rewarded with a large number
of plants in full bloom along a strip about 100 yards long. We also found
large quantities of Nevin's brickelbush just starting to bloom along the trail,
its silvery foliage brightening the hillsides as we passed. A total of only
25 species were found to be blooming on this day and the drying out process
was well underway. As we started up the trail we spotted Calif. buckwheat,
hedge mustard, dotter, wand chicory, a few bush mallow and slender tarweed in
good quantity, but in the last stages of its bloom. A few morning glories some
telegraph weed and a few nine feet tall giant rye plants were also encountered. Continuing up the trail (about an 800
feet climb) we saw narrow leaf sunflower, western lettuce, cliff aster,
laurel sumac, and sweet fennel. A small blue flower was seen, but as yet has
not been identified. On display were prickly popcorn flower, bush senecio,
velvet leaf everlasting, hoary fuchsia, wooly aster, bush monkey flower and
Spanish broom. A rating of fair was given only
because of the large quantity of the less seldom seen Santa Susana tarweed
and the Nevin's brickelbush. (RWM) |
|||
|
Naturalist's rating: Fair |
|||
|
Point Mugu State Park |
La Jolla Canyon Trail |
Date: 7/29/05 |
|
|
|
On 7/29/05 we hiked along the La
Jolla Canyon Trail to a side trail looping around to the west then south
around Mugu Peak and returning to the point of departure. Our objectives were
to see if the creeping buttercups had survived the high water levels that
washed away the entire bank on which they had been growing a year ago, and to
check the water level at the pond of the first little waterfall on the way up
the canyon. We found the water flow to still be very good, keeping the little
pond full and providing a residual waterfall as a background. Last June this
little pond was bone dry for the first time in several years. On the loop
trail heading west from the La Jolla Canyon trail we found that the creeping
buttercups had survived, but were not in bloom. Including the grasses we
found 53 species blooming, but only in fair quantity, thereby rating a fair
grade on the flower affectionata's scale.
Found in the order first encountered along the trail were cliff aster,
black sage, ashy leaf buckwheat, laurel sumac, bush mallow, mugwort, hedge
mustard, sweet fennel, deerweed, tree tobacco and slender tarweed. Also
spotted were bush monkey flower, sawtooth golden bush, morning glory, and
Calif buckwheat. A lot of wand chicory was present but only a single bladder
pod. At the little pond was Calif loosestrife, Venus
hair fern, umbrella sedge, scarlet monkey flower, narrow leaf cattail, and
creek monkey flower. Further up the trail we encountered giant rye, Calif fuchsia,
toyon, Indian pink, lance-leaf live-forever and heart leaf penstemon. A
greenbark ceanothus was still blooming and a single purple Clarkia was
spotted. Several chalk live-forever were in bloom as
were some purple sage, coastal paintbrush, bush sunflower, wild rose, gum
plant and cudweed. Contributing to the floral color were sticky madia, Calif.
everlasting, narrow leaf milkweed, bird's beak, stinging nettle and water
cress. In the damp area was tule, on the hillside a
yucca and a number of prickly pears. Wooly aster, hoary fuchsia, fountain grass,
common yarrow, water parsnip and vervain completed the displays seen for the
day. A comment must be made relative to
the insect infestation encountered on the hike. On the way up the trail we
were met with a literal strike force of small black mosquitoes who seemed to dive in head first to sample one's blood.
Further up the trail after entering the grass lands covered with shoulder
high Harding grass we encountered another strike force of deer ticks with
literally dozens found clambering up our trouser legs. Don your
"buzz-off" duds and apply the "deet" liberally to
survive. |
|||
|
Naturalist's rating: Fair |
|||
|
Circle X Ranch |
Mishe Mokwa Loop |
Date: 7/27/05 |
|
|
|
What a difference two weeks makes. We
are well into summer now with most of the spring and early summer flowers
present only as a few scattered examples in sheltered spots. If we include
these wilted holdouts than we can bump the species count up to the poor
showing of only 34 species – not great for six miles of trail. In
reality this number is over-generous as a good fraction is uninspiring weedy
species or constitutes only a few wilted specimens. Red Shank and California
Buckwheat are the only flowers in quantity. The Scarlet Larkspur and
Heart-leaved Penstemon, which were both so plentiful recently, still have a
fair number of plants in bloom but they will be finished up soon. Other
notables include Flax-flowered Linanthus, Twiggy Wreath Plant, Cliff Aster,
Chalk Live-forever, California Fuchsia, a few holdout
Pitcher Sage, Scarlet Monkey Flower, Bush Monkey Flower, Bird's Beak, a few
holdout Bush Mallow, Spanish Clover, Morning Glory, Rein Orchid, Chaparral
Honeysuckle, Bush Senecio, Tejon Milk Aster, and a few early Woolly Aster. (TV) |
|||
|
Naturalist's rating: Poor |
|||
|
Circle X Ranch |
Sandstone Peak Trail |
Date: 7/27/05 |
|
|
|
This trail is not known for great
flower displays but rather for the sweeping panoramas offered by the highest peak
in the Santa Monica Mountains. This time of year the flowers don't add much
to the experience and at times the view can be a bit disappointing because of
summer haze. We had to include some rather sad looking holdout specimens in
order to break a dozen on the species count. Right now the only plants making
a good showing are California Buckwheat and Red Shank. A couple others that
are interesting if not plentiful are Bush Senecio and Tejon Milk Aster. If we
add some of the wilted holdouts to the normal summer bloomers we can also
list Bush Monkey Flower, Cliff Aster, Twiggy Wreath Plant, Heart Leaved
Penstemon, Slender Tarweed, Prickly Lettuce, and a couple of early Woolly
Asters, (TV) |
|||
|
Naturalist's rating: Poor |
|||
|
|
|
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 |
|
|
||
