Welcome to the 28th Annual Wildflower Hotline, brought to you by the Theodore Payne Foundation, a non-profit plant nursery, seed source, book store, and education center dedicated to the preservation of wildflowers and California native plants.
As we move into May many wildflowers can still be found in various southern and central California locations, but pick your spot soon because many of these beauties are quickly moving to higher elevations.
Beginning in San Diego County, the Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve is quite colorful with goldfields (Lasthenia californica), Island morning glory (Calystegia macrostegia), Indian paintbrush (Castilleja affinis), deerweed (Lotus scoparius), bush sunflower (Encelia californica), rushrose (Helianthemum scoparium), yellow pincushion (Chaenactis glabriuscula), and wide throated yellow monkeyflower (Mimulus brevipes).
Agua Caliente County Park, along S-2 and adjacent to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, offers a number of colorful finds including ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens), brittlebush (Encelia farinosa), phacelia (Phacelia sp.), brown-eyed primrose (Camissonia claviformis), purple mat (Nama demissum), tackstem (Calycoseris sp.), ghost flower (Mohavea confertiflora), desert lavender (Hyptis emoryi), apricot mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua), datura (Datura sp.), and Bigelow’s monkeyflower (Mimulus bigelovii).
In Hemet, Diamond Valley Lake still has nice color decorating the hillsides. Along Wildflower Loop Trail, look for brittlebush (Encelia farinosa), deerweed (Lotus scoparius), arroyo lupine (Lupinus succulentus), Parry’s larkspur (Delphinium parryi), white sage (Salvia apiana), and splendid mariposa lily (Calochortus splendens). For sightings of sticky monkeyflower (Mimulus aurantiacus) and yellow bush penstemon (Keckiella antirrhinoides) take the Lakeview Trail.
North of I-10 and southwest of Joshua Tree, the bloom at the Coachella Valley Preserve is changing to reveal white rhatany (Krameria grayi), sweetbush (Bebbia juncea), honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa), palo verde (Cercidium floridum (Parkinsonia florida)), indigo bush (Psorothamnus schottii), arrow weed (Pluchea sericea), and cat’s claw acacia (Acacia greggii).
The color at Joshua Tree National Park is really a sight to behold. The area around Cottonwood is showing black brush (Coleogyne ramosissima), desert dandelion (Malacothrix glabrata), golden gilia (Linanthus (Leptosiphon) aureus), desert gold poppy (Eschscholzia glyptosperma), prince’s plume (Stanleya pinnata), thick leaved ground cherry (Physalis crassifolia), and star gilia (Gilia stellata). In many of the northern areas of the park enjoy a beautiful display of Fremont indigobush (Psorothamnus fremontii), Bigelow’s coreopsis (Coreopsis bigelovii), brittlebush (Encelia farinosa), desert rock pea (Lotus rigidus), Parish’s golden poppy (Eschscholzia parishii), apricot mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua), Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia), and more.
Heading into the San Bernardino National Forest we take a trip to Lake Silverwood off I-15 and taking HWY 138 which is radiant with goldfields (Lasthenia sp.). Continuing along HWY 173 towards Lake Arrowhead, the area around the Rock Camp Fire Station is brilliant with baby blue eyes (Nemophila menziesii), Bigelow’s monkeyflower (Mimulus bigelovii), and goldfields.
North of HWY 1 in Newport Beach, the Desert section at the Environmental Nature Center is quite colorful with Indian mallow (Abutilon palmeri), pink fairy duster (Calliandra eriophylla), brittlebush (Encelia farinosa), chuparosa (Justicia californica), beavertail (Opuntia basilaris) and prickly pear cacti (Opuntia littoralis), California poppy (Eschscholzia californica), and desert mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua). Exploring a number of areas here also reveals blooming dudleya (Dudleya spp.) and blue eyed grass (Sisyrinchium bellum).
The Live Oak and Edna Spalding Trails at the O'Neill Regional and Wilderness Park are still showing lots of beautiful flowers, including blue dicks (Dichelostemma capitatum), Catalina mariposa (Calochortus catalinae), and bush sunflower (Encelia californica), and along Vista Trail enjoy stands of sticky monkeyflower (Mimulus aurantiacus).
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Heading inland to Claremont we visit the absolutely radiant grounds of Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden. As you enter the garden California poppies (Eschscholzia californica) welcome you, while incredible specimens of cacti can be seen in the Desert and Dune Gardens, including Mojave mound (Echinocereus triglochidiatus), hedgehog (Echinocereus engelmannii), and beavertail (Opuntia basilaris). To find blooming bush anemone (Carpenteria californica), snowdrop bush (Styrax redivivus, pictured), California lilac (Ceanothus spp. & cultivars), and several different sages (Salvia spp. & cultivars), take a trip through the Mesa and Cultivar Garden. In the Plant Communities you will discover interesting finds including Stansbury’s antelope bush (Purshia mexicana var. stansburyana), chaparral yucca (Yucca whipplei), Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia), Vasey’s prickly pear (Opuntia Xvaseyi), and cobweb thistle (Cirsium occidentale).
Continuing along the foothills of the Angeles National Forest we explore the Eaton Canyon Natural Area in Pasadena, where California buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum), Mexican elderberry (Sambucus mexicana), and prickly pear cactus (Opuntia littoralis) are starting to bloom. As you explore this park enjoy an abundance of bush sunflower (Encelia californica), black sage (Salvia mellifera), caterpillar phacelia (Phacelia cicutaria), sun cups (Camissonia bistorta), popcorn flower (Cryptantha sp.), and pearly everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea), while taking a hike along Fire Ecology Trail rewards with yerba santa (Eriodictyon crassifolium).
If you’re spending a day at Griffith Park, take a trip along Zoo Drive to see clarkia (Clarkia sp.), Cleveland sage (Salvia clevelandii), California poppies (Eschscholzia californica), monkeyflower (Mimulus aurantiacus), yarrow (Achillea millefolium), flannel bush (Fremontodendron sp.), and the glorious Coulter’s matilija poppies (Romneya coulteri).
If you’re on the UCLA campus, take a trip to the Mildred E. Mathais Botanical Garden to see greenbark ceanothus (Ceanothus spinosus), hummingbird sage (Salvia spathacea), Robin monkeyflower (Mimulus ‘Robin’), and many more in bloom.
Chinese houses (Collinsia heterophylla), goldfields (Lasthenia glabrata) and yarrow (Achillea millefolium) mingle with lacy phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia), sticky monkey flowers (Mimulus aurantiacus), and various species of penstemons (Penstemon spp., pictured) at Descanso Gardens, while open fields still shine with tidy tips (Layia platyglossa) and California poppies (Eschscholzia californica).
In Burbank, the Verdugo Mountains offer a number of trails highlighted with wildflower color. Start your adventure at the Stough Canyon Nature Center to discover bush sunflower (Encelia californica), black sage (Salvia mellifera), and deerweed (Lotus scoparius) throughout Stough Canyon, or explore Wildwood Canyon’s Vital Link Trail to enjoy blue dicks (Dichelostemma capitatum), chamise (Adenostoma fasciculatum), popcorn flower (Plagiobothrys spp.), blue head gilia (Gilia capitata), chia (Salvia columbariae), wishbone bush (Mirabilis californica), rattlesnake weed (Chamaesyce albomarginata), and cliff aster (Malacothrix saxatilis).
A drive in the LA River Ranger District of the Angeles National Forest is still a delight as morning glory (Calystegia sp.), phacelia (Phacelia spp.), monkeyflower (Mimulus spp.), lupine (Lupinus spp.), chia (Salvia columbariae), and black sage (Salvia mellifera) decorate Big Tujunga Canyon Road, especially around Vogel Flats. For a beautiful display of bush poppies (Dendromecon rigida) take the Angeles Forest Highway towards Clear Creek Camp.
The nursery grounds and Wildflower Hill Trail at the Theodore Payne Foundation, in Sun Valley, are resplendent with showy penstemon (Penstemon spectabilis), bush sunflower (Encelia californica), chia (Salvia columbariae), elegant clarkia (Clarkia unguiculata), coral bells (Heuchera spp. & cultivars), sages (Salvia spp. & cultivars), Mexican elderberry (Sambucus mexicana), monkeyflower (Mimulus spp. & cultivars), mock orange (Philadelphus lewisii), woolly blue curls (Trichostema lanatum), lilac verbena (Verbena lilacina), and many more.
The California poppies (Eschscholzia californica) are still putting on a fabulous show at the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve – that is if the recent wind storm didn’t wreck too much havoc. Along the trails in the Reserve you will also see pygmy-leaved lupine (Lupinus bicolor), locoweed (Astragalus sp.), cream cups (Platystemon californicus), silver puffs (Uropappus lindleyi), sun cups (Camissonia sp.), fiddleneck (Amsinckia sp.), blue dicks (Dichelostemma capitatum), and a few white forget-me-nots (Plagiobothrys spp.) and purple owl’s clover (Castilleja sp.). Just outside of the Reserve along HWY 138, 170th Street, and Lancaster Road carpets of poppies and owl’s clover (pictured above) saturate the area - just make sure to check the weather before you go as strong winds and cloud cover tend to force these lovely blooms into hiding.
Continuing west along HWY 138 and Gorman Post Road (pictured) towards I-5 is a spectacular drive with hillsides painted a mosaic of purple, orange, cream, and yellow.
The Gorman Hills along I-5 are showing more California poppies (Eschscholzia californica), interspersed with California coreopsis (Coreopsis californica), blue head gilia (Gilia capitata), and grape soda lupine (Lupinus excubitus), but it’s possible the recent winds may have lessened this display a bit.
At Hungry Valley State Vehicular Recreation Area the north grasslands are beginning to show patches of miniature lupine (Lupinus bicolor) and California poppies (Eschscholzia californica) at the start of Stipa Trail, and a nice display of grape soda lupine (Lupinus excubitus) is beginning to bloom along Powerline Road mingled with a few blue head gilia (Gilia capitata), chia (Salvia columbariae), jewel flowers (Caulanthus cooperi), and white tidy tips (Layia glandulosa). Along Wheatfield Trail, more California poppies are blooming every day in addition to grape soda lupine, goldenbush (Ericameria cooperi), and a few cream cups (Platystemon californicus). For a large display of California poppies and grape soda lupine head to Peace Valley Road, between Sewer Line Road and Quail Lake Road (pictured), but keep in mind that this area is behind barbed wire fencing and inaccessible by foot.
Want to take a drive along the coast? If you head south along HWY 101, between Nipomo and Santa Maria your rewards include sightings of lovely of yellow lupine (Lupinus sp.).
Spring is sadly starting to say goodbye to the Carrizo Plain National Monument where many blooms are waning, but if you haven’t made it out here yet there are still a few patches of color hanging on. Soda Lake Road, between Washburn Ranch Administrative site and KCL campground, offers a nice display of California poppies (Eschscholzia californica), lupines (Lupinus sp.), and snake’s head (Malacothrix coulteri). Along Selby Camp Road look for more patches of poppies and a few bush lupine (Lupinus albifrons), and owl’s clover (Castilleja sp.), and just 3 miles north of Traver Ranch enjoy small carpets of thistle sage (Salvia carduacea), goldfields (Lasthenia sp.), and cream cups (Platystemon californicus). The southern end of the California Valley and the Boardwalk are still beautiful with a number of larkspur (Delphinium spp.).
Pinnacles National Monument, accessed by HWY 146 on either the east or west side, is still at peak bloom! For great wildflower viewing, hike along the Juniper Canyon, Condor Gulch, or Balconies Cliffs Trails, or explore the High Peaks Trail starting from the Old Pinnacles Trailhead. Some of the beauties you will encounter here include purple (Lupinus microcarpus var. microcarpus) and white chick lupines (Lupinus microcarpus var. densiflorus), blue (Pholistoma auritum var. auritum) and white fiesta flowers (Pholistoma membranaceum), chia (Salvia columbariae), bush poppy (Dendromecon rigida), woolly Indian paintbrush (Castilleja foliolosa), sticky monkeyflower (Mimulus aurantiacus), blue witch (Solanum umbelliferum), goldfields (Lasthenia californica), golden yarrow (Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum), Chinese houses (Collinsia heterophylla), white plectritis (Plectritis macrocera), and silver puffs (Uropappus lindleyi) to name only those in greatest abundance. For sightings of bitter root (Lewisia rediviva, pictured), Fremont’s monkeyflower (Mimulus fremontii), larkspur (Delphinium sp.), lax snapdragon (Antirrhinum kelloggii), and woolly blue curls (Trichostema lanatum) take the Rim Trail.
The portion of HWY 180 that enters the Sequoia National Forest and Kings Canyon National Park is scheduled to open this weekend, and the flowers are blooming all the way to Grant Grove - but call ahead to make sure the road is open since the rain and snow have created more rock slides than usual. Along this route the hillsides are radiant with western redbud (Cercis occidentalis), Chinese houses (Collinsia heterophylla), blue dicks (Dichelostemma capitatum), and buttercup (Ranunculus sp.), while in the foothills California buckeye (Aesculus californica) is just starting to blossom.
Driving along HWY 198 past Three Rivers and into the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks affords spectacular views of flannel bush (Fremontodendron sp.) and buckeye (Aesculus californica) along with fields of common madia (Madia elegans) and spider lupine (Lupinus benthamii).
Off HWY 395 and west of Lone Pine, Movie Flat Road in Alabama Hills is decorated with Wallace’s woolly daisy (Eriophyllum wallacei), tidy tips (Layia glandulosa), and sand blossoms (Linanthus parryae, pictured). Continuing along HWY 395 (pictured) between Lone Pine and Bishop, look for scale bud (Anisocoma acaulis), Fremont pincushion (Chaenactis fremontii), grape lupine (Lupinus excubitus var. excubitus), apricot mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua), Bigelow’s coreopsis (Coreopsis bigelovii), and common phacelia (Phacelia distans). Exploring Bishop around the Volcanic Tablelands area and HWY 168 west rewards with tidy tips, desert dandelion (Malacothrix glabrata), and more scale bud.
The Badwater Basin (pictured) of Death Valley National Park is aglow with yellow flowers, but many of the blooms on the valley floor are now moving to higher ground. Some great areas to explore here include Salsberry Pass, Jubilee Pass, Dante’s View Road, Artists Drive, Beatty Cutoff, Father Crowley Point, and Wildrose Canyon (heading towards the Charcoal Kilns) where sightings of Mojave woodyaster (Xylorhiza tortifolia), Fremont’s monkeyflower (Mimulus fremontii), desert sunflower (Geraea canescens), beavertail cactus (Opuntia basilaris), desert five spot (Eremalche rotundifolia), notch leaved phacelia (Phacelia crenulata), and yellow cups (Camissonia brevipes) are quite enchanting.
That’s it for this week. Look for our next report on Friday, May 7th and remember to stay on designated trails and to protect our precious wildflowers so that they set seed and have a chance at coming back next year. Due to this week’s windy weather, it’s recommended that you call locations to check on weather and bloom conditions before taking off on your trip.
If you would like to be a wildflower reporter send your information about wildflower blooms and their location to by Wednesday of each week when blooms of note occur.
NATIVE PLANT & WILDFLOWER EVENTS:
Joshua Tree National Park
· Wildflower Safari on Saturday, May 1 and Sunday, May 2 at 10:00am and 2:00pm. Meet at the North Entrance Station for directions to a nearby flowering location. Duration: 1 hour, length: 1 mile in washes and off trail. Ranger Programs are free; no reservations required.
Laguna Coast Wilderness Park
· Wildflower Hike on Saturdays, May 8 & June 12 from 8:30am – 11:30am. Learn to identify native spring bloomers with Laguna Canyon Foundation volunteer naturalists on this moderate, but steep and rocky, 3.5-mile hike. Meet at Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, Willow Staging Area (20101 Laguna Canyon Road, just south of El Toro Road intersection). Reservations required (hikes fill up fast!): Call 949-923-2235 to RSVP. Parking fee: $3. Donation: $2/person.
Los Padres National Forest