The Hotline brings you weekly updates on flowers from more than 40 sites across Southern California. Our goal is to help you come to know and appreciate the beautiful diversity of California's native plants. 

Speckled clarkia line Santa Clara Divide Road in the San Gabriel Mountains. (Photo by John Wickham)

Please note: Wildflower displays change constantly. To avoid disappointment, contact your chosen destination to check flower conditions. Also check weather reports on the morning of your trip.

May 29 Wildflower Hotline Report

 

Hot! It’s the end of May, but it feels like September. Across Southern California, plants are hurrying to set seed before their roots dry out.

 

Flowers in the low deserts are long gone, and those in the high deserts are fading rapidly. Even higher-elevation areas, such as Figueroa Mountain in the Los Padres National Forest, have seen their blooms fade rapidly over the last two weeks.

 

It has been over 100 degrees for several days in the Antelope Valley. Milt Stark tells us that there are still some poppies (Eschscholzia californica) hanging on in the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, but they are not much to look at—they are small and loaded with seed pods. The same is true of the desert dandelion (Malacothrix californica) in the area, which had been growing a brilliant yellow throughout the Valley for the past three weeks.

 

Hillsides near the Devil’s Punchbowl Natural Area in the eastern Antelope Valley are still rich with color, because the scarlet buglers (Penstemon centranthifolius) and flannel bushes (Fremontodendron californicum) are still going strong. The flannel bushes are creating incredible patches of gold on the hillsides. However, most of the season’s other plants, such as goldenbushes, phacelia, mariposa lilies, and blue dicks, are drying up for the year. If you visit, take Route 138 (Pearblossom Highway) to the Devil's Punchbowl turnoff. Along the hillsides before reaching the Punchbowl, look for desert mariposa lily (Calochortus kennedyi) and lovely pink-purple desert aster (Xylorhiza tortifolia). You will also find a bright red field of scarlet bugler above the parking lot at the Punchbowl itself.

 There are some beautiful spots in the Angeles National Forest. Try driving up Little Tujunga Canyon Road, passing the Wildlife Waystation and the top of the divide. After the road straightens, look for a hillside covered in Indian paintbrush (Castilleja sp.), prickly phlox (Leptodactylon californicum), and monkey flower (Mimulus aurantiacus). Continuing on, just past the next divide and the turnoff for the L.A. county fire station, turn right onto Santa Clara Divide Road. Along this road you’ll find great amounts of scarlet larkspur (Delphinium cardinale) and dudleya (Dudleya sp.) in bloom.

Yuccas in amazingly dense bloom along Big Tujunga Canyon Road. (Photo by John Wickham)

  

Along Tujunga Canyon Road (note—not Upper Tujunga Canyon Road) and along the Antelope Valley Freeway, yuccas (Yucca whipplei) are in amazing bloom (see photo). There are whole forests of their creamy, candle-like stalks, and they are just now reaching peak. The Acton area and the area around Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park are particularly impressive.

 

Eaton Canyon Park at the base of the San Gabriels is also enjoying a lovely yucca bloom, and naturalists are expecting more plants to come into flower as the season progresses. The California buckwheats (Eriogonum fasciculatum) are on their way to full bloom, and white and black sages (Salvia apiana and S. mellifera) are still in full, fragrant flower. During the upcoming summer months, look for creek senecio (Senecio flaccidus), as well as scarlet larkspur (Delphinium cardinale) and California fuchsia (Epilobium canum, syn. Zauschneria californica).


Reporting from Tulare and Kern Counties, Alison Sheehey tells us that Sherman Pass in the Sequoia National Forest is simply to die for right now. Fremont's monkeyflower (Mimulus fremontii), California lilac (Ceanothus spp.), phacelia, gilia, woolly sunflower (Eriophyllum sp.), Indian paintbrush (Castilleja sp.), and more are adorning Sherman Pass Road and Cherry Hill Roads. Click here to see a photographic sampling of the gorgeous wildflowers from the area.

Ranger Linda Stamer of the San Bernardino National Forest reports that the lupines along Highway 330 and Highway 38 to Big Bear Valley are the best she’s ever seen. They are accompanied by the orange-yellow of sticky bush monkeyflower and the bright yellow of bush poppy. 

Ranger Linda Stamer of the San Bernardino National Forest reports that the lupines along Highway 330 and Highway 38 to Big Bear Valley are the best she’s ever seen. They are accompanied by the orange-yellow of sticky bush monkeyflower and the bright yellow of bush poppy.


Beautiful blooms are also still to be found in the Santa Monica Mountains, which have escaped the worst of the heat. Botanist Barbara Collins reports that there is a wonderful area of wildflowers along the south side of Cornell Road in Agoura Hills. (Cornell Road intersects Agoura Road at Cornell Corners and extends southwest along the base of the Santa Monica Mountains; Agoura Road is south of the 101 Freeway and parallels the freeway.) In this area you can find yellow mariposa lily and butterfly  mariposa lily (Calochortus clavatus and C. venustus), goldenstars (Bloomeria crocea), foothill penstemon (Penstemon heterophyllus), elegant clarkia and speckled clarkia (Clarkia unguiculata and C. cylindrica), larkspur (Delphinium parryi), golden yarrow (Eriophyllum confertiflorum), the rare and endangered Santa Monica Mountains dudleya (Dudleya cymosa ssp. marcescens), and many others.
In Cheeseboro Canyon in Agoura, along Cheeseboro Fire Road, there are hillsides of purple sage (Salvia leucophylla) blooming their pink hearts out along with the purple-and-white whorls of arroyo lupine (Lupinus succulentus), the deep yellow of goldenstars (Bloomeria crocea), bright yellow mariposa lilies (Calochortus sp.), the cool white of popcorn flower (Cryptantha intermedia), the soothing pink of farewell-to-spring (Clarkia amoena) and a few blue-violet heads of blue dicks (Dichelostema capitatum). Continuing on to the White Sulphur Spring Trail, then up to and beyond Sheeps Flat to the connector to Palo Comado, look for woolly blue curls (Trichostema lanatum), scarlet bugler (Penstemon centranthifolius), goldfields (Lasthenia californica), lots of white and rose snapdragon (Antirrhinum nuttallianum and A. multiflorum) and thick-leaved yerba santa (Eriodictyon crassifolium), along with blue larkspur (Delphinium patens), popcorn flower, and a striking yellow mariposa lily (Calochortus sp.).  Also recommended is the Guadalasco Trail out of Sycamore Canyon, near Point Mugu State Park.

 Botanist and photographer Bob Allen reports that many areas in Orange County and western Riverside County are still in bloom. As summer approaches, heating up and drying out the lower elevations, most of the season’s treasures will be found in the higher elevations of the Santa Ana Mountains (Cleveland National Forest). In mid to high elevations right now, giant stream orchid (Epipactis gigantea) is in full flower. Look for it along seeps and creeks with its pal, orange-flowered California threadtorch (Castilleja minor spiralis). Both are displaying right now along the paved part of Tenaja Road/Main Divide Truck Trail near the entrance to Falcon Group Camp Campground, along with southern mule ears (Wyethia ovata). Along the same stretch of road is a spectacular showing of bush poppy (Dendromecon rigida). There are even fields of owl’s clover (Castilleja exserta) still in bloom in the meadows between Falcon Group Camp and Blue Jay Campground.

The more adventurous with higher-than-average clearance vehicles (4WD recommended) will find it rewarding to endure Main Divide Truck Trail up to Los Pinos Saddle in search of woolly blue curls (Trichostema lanatum), Cleveland’s bush monkeyflower (Mimulus clevelandii), yellow monkeyflower (Mimulus brevipes), showy penstemon (Pentstemon spectabilis), golden eardrops (Dicentra chrysantha), and yellow-throated phacelia (Phacelia brachyloba). The best treat right at the saddle is poodle-dog bush (Turricula parryi), just starting to flower (look at the beautiful blue-violet flowers, but don't touch—some people have an allergic reaction to the plant).

Continuing from Los Pinos Saddle toward Bear Spring (the road gets worse as you go northwest) are further Cleveland’s monkeyflower along with deer brush (Ceanothus integerrimus), many-flowered linanthus (Linanthus floribundus), cream bush (Holodiscus discolor, just past peak flowering), hundreds of woodland stars (Lithophragma sp.), meadow rue (Thalictrum polycarpum), heart-leaved pitcher sage (Lepechinia cardiophylla, just beginning to flower), and larkspur (Delphinium patens). The scarlet larkspur (Delphinium cardinale) are robust, at four to six feet in height, but won’t be in flower for another two weeks or so.  

Continuing toward Santiago Peak at Bear Springs, there are Humboldt lilies (Lilium humboldtii ocellata) getting ready to flower in late June or early July. Also look for the deep purple flowers of Parish’s lupine (Lupinus latifolius parishii) on the trail above the spring, along with linanthus and tree lupines (Lupinus arboreus) by the road. Along the trail downstream of the road you’ll find miner’s lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata) with interesting variegated foliage, fragrant coyote mint (Monardella sp.), and the very dainty Lemmon’s catchfly (Silene lemmonii).

Visit this area again later in the summer to find bold displays of magenta-flowered canchalagua (Centaurium venustum) along creeks such as San Juan Canyon. Two of our common milkweeds, narrow-leaved milkweed (Asclepias fascicularis) and Indian milkweed (A. eriocarpa), begin to bloom in early to late summer; find them both in Caspers Wilderness Park along Ortega Highway in San Juan Capistrano.

To keep track of other field excursions by Bob Allen and the other authors of the book-in-progress Wildflowers of Orange County including the Santa Ana Mountains, check their Web site, especially the “News and Updates” page.
Michael Charters of www.calflora.net tells us that San Mateo Canyon (in the San Mateo Canyon Wilderness below Riverside) is also looking gorgeous at this late date. There are over 70 species in bloom there, from tender annuals such as Canterbury bells, Chinese houses, and dove lupine to robust shrubs such as false-indigo (Amorpha californica) and California bush sunflower (Encelia californica). Scroll to the bottom of this page to see the full list.

 Finally, remember to visit the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden to see literally dozens of species of blooming California native plants, from delicate flowers such as serpentine columbine (Aquilegia eximia), clarkias, gilia, blue-eyed grass, and Chinese houses to robust shrubs such as sages, Matilija poppies (Romneya trichocalyx), and penstemons.

 Come visit us at the Theodore Payne Foundation in Sun Valley, Tuesday through Saturday, to see our extensive native plant nursery and wander our grounds filled with blooming native plants.

 Who are we? The Theodore Payne Foundation for Wildflowers and Native Plants is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion of California’s natural heritage. Our educational programs, such as the Wildflower Hotline, are supported through contributions from members and friends. We hope that you found the Wildflower Hotline helpful through this spectacular season, and we hope that you will consider a contribution to the Foundation so we may continue to offer this valuable service in years to come. Please contact the Foundation at (818) 768-1802 for information on how to support the Foundation’s work and the Wildflower Hotline. Thank you for your interest and support.

  

Plants blooming in San Mateo Canyon on May 28, 2003 

  • American wild carrot (Daucus pusillus)

  • angel’s gilia (Gilia angelensis)

  • black sage (Salvia mellifera)

  • blue dicks (Dichelostemma capitatum)

  • blue larkspur (Delphinium sp.)

  • bush mallow (Malacothamnus fasciculatus)

  • sticky bush monkeyflower (red form)(Mimulus aurantiacus)

  • California buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum)

  • California bush sunflower (Encelia californica)

  • California chicory (Rafinesquia californica)

  • California everlasting (Gnaphalium californicum)

  • California poppy (Eschscholzia californica)

  • canchalagua (Centaurium venustum)

  • Canterbury bells (Phacelia minor)

  • canyon sunflower (Venegasia carpesioides)

  • canyon sweet pea (Lathyrus vestitus)

  • caterpillar phacelia (Phacelia cicutaria)

  • chamise (Adenostema fasciculatum)

  • chia (Salvia columbariae)

  • Chinese houses (Collinsia heterophylla)

  • collar lupine (Lupinus truncatus)

  • common linanthus (Linanthus parviflorus)

  • creek clover (Trifolium obtusiflorum)

  • creek monkeyflower (Mimulus guttatus)

  • deerweed (Lotus scoparius)

  • dove lupine (Lupinus bicolor)

  • eucrypta (Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia)

  • false-indigo (Amorpha californica)

  • farewell-to-spring (Clarkia bottae)

  • fringed Indian pink (Silene laciniata)

  • globe gilia (Gilia capitata)

  • golden eardrops (Dicentra chrysantha)

  • goldfields (Lasthenia californica)

  • goldenstars (Bloomeria crocea)

  • golden yarrow (Eriophyllum confertiflorum)

  • heartleaf penstemon (Keckiella cordifolia)

  • honeysuckle (Lonicera subspicata)

  • large-flowered popcorn flower (Cryptantha intermedia)

  • leafy daisy (Erigeron foliosus)

  • lilac mariposa lily (Calochortus splendens)

  • miner’s lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata)

  • owl’s clover (Castilleja exserta)

  • Palomar monkeyflower (Mimulus palmeri)

  • purple clarkia (Clarkia purpurea)

  • purple nightshade (Solanum xanti)

  • sapphire woolstar (Eriastrum sapphirinum)

  • showy penstemon (Penstemon spectabilis)

  • slender sunflower (Helianthus gracilentus)

  • snakeroot (Tauschia arguta)

  • Spanish clover (Lotus purshianus)

  • sticky madia (Madia gracilis)

  • stinging lupine (Lupinus hirsutissimus)

  • stream orchid (Epipactis gigantea)

  • threespot (Osmadenia tenella)

  • Turkish rugging (Chorizanthe staticoides)

  • violet snapdragon (Antirrhinum nuttallianum)

  • white pincushion (Chaenactis artemisiifolia)

  • white sage (Salvia apiana)

  • white snapdragon (Antirrhinum coulterianum)

  • willow-herb clarkia (Clarkia epilobioides)

  • yellow monkeyflower (Mimulus brevipes)

  • yellow bush penstemon (Keckiella antirrhinoides)

  • yellow pincushion (Chaenactis glabriuscula)

 Botanist Steve Junak reports that, even though plants are slowing down out on the Channel Islands, there are still plenty of blooming species to see. On San Clemente Island, for example, goldfields (Lasthenia gracilis) are still flowering in patches, even though they are usually gone by mid-spring.

There is still plenty to see on Santa Cruz Island, too. Sand verbena (Abronia maritima), San Miguel Island milkvetch (Astragalus miguelensis), Santa Cruz Island dudleya (Dudleya nesiotica), and tarweed (Hemizonia fasciculata) are showy at the west end of the island now. Seaside calandrinia (Calandrinia maritima), usually seen only in wet years, is common in patches around the southwestern perimeter of the island. Santa Cruz Island bush mallow (Malacothamnus fasciculatus var. nesioticus) is in good flower at Christy Ranch.  Up near Diablo Peak, several species of clover (Trifolium spp.) are still in good flower, including the uncommon tree clover (Trifolium ciliolatum). Bush monkeyflower (Mimulus longiflorus), island bush monkeyflower (Mimulus flemingii), and hybrids between the two parent species are very showy right now.  Hybrids between Greene’s dudleya (Dudleya greenei) and candleholder dudleya (D. candelabrum) are in good flower on the west end as well. Island manzanita (Arctostaphylos insularis) and island lilac (Ceanothus arboreus) are flowering for a second time this year, especially in the central valley and up on the South Ridge. They have produced a crop of fruit and are now flowering again—a phenomenon that is often seen in years with an extended or heavy rainfall season. Santa Cruz Island lotus (Lotus argophyllus niveus) is very showy in many parts of the island, especially on open ridgetops and gravel floodplains.  Santa Cruz island buckwheat (Eriogonum arborescens) and fernleaf ironwood (Lyonothamnus floribundus aspleniifolius) are also starting to flower in many areas. Annuals to look for in addition to all these are violet snapdragon (Antirrhinum nuttallianum) and Wheeler’s spineflower (Chorizanthe wheeleri).

  

 

 

(Webmaster note: I'm sure we all want to thank Annelisa for her hard work with preparing these Wildflower Hotline Reports... you get a well deserved 8 months of rest now... )