Carol Leigh's
CALIFORNIA WILDFLOWER
LOCATIONS DEVELOPING
YOUR CREATIVE EDGE Back to Photo Explorations home page. ©Carol Leigh |
[Wildflower reports are shown in chronological order, the most recent
being first. Note, since all your e-mails to me arrive in ASCII text
format, I have to reformat your reports prior to posting here on the
Wildflower Hotsheet. If they look "not quite right" to you, well, it's my
fault! Sorry! — Carol Leigh] Response to request for information - 2/3/10 - Kahlee Brighton writes: I saw Carol O'Keefe's post requesting information about possible routes leading from Bakersfield to the coast that would likely include displays of wildflowers. Highway 58, which goes past the north end of Carrizo Plain National Monument, then out to Shell Creek and Red Hill Road probably is the area she's describing. Another great place to check out is Highway 166 that leads from Maricopa to Santa Maria. It goes past Wind Wolves Preserve, the southern end of Carrizo Plain NM, and Cottonwood Canyon where, in a good year, spectacular flowers abound. Given our rains this year, either route should prove most rewarding. Hope this is helpful. Request for information - 2/1/10 - Carol O'Keefe writes: Hi Carol, A couple of years ago I spent some time in Death Valley and then was headed for Los Angeles. It was a Sunday afternoon and I ran into a sandstorm on 15. Listening to radio I heard reports of accidents and an overturned vehicle and decided to get off 15 and skip LA. I headed for Bakersfield and spent the night there. The next day as I headed for the Coastal highway on what I believe was Route 58 I passed beautiful multicolor hills covered with flowers. I figured that they were wildflowers but could have been cultivated. I had no idea where to stop to get closer views and walk around. In March of this year (about a week earlier than my last trip). We’ll be there around March 20. I will be heading down the coast highway from SF to LA. If I thought I could find those hills again I would definitely go through Bakersfield again. Are you at all familiar with the area I am talking about? I would appreciate any input you might have and would be happy to buy your CD if this area is included on it. Thank you and hope you can steer me. Love your site. Carol O’Keefe Ps we are coming from NJ. Southern California - 1/31/10 - Kahlee Brighton writes: Hi Carol -- Happy New Year!!! Spring already has sprung in Southern California. Recent rains have caused the plants to grow quickly and blooms have started in several areas:
I'll be posting a few of my images here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kahlee/ Let the wildflower dance begin! San Luis Obispo-San Jose - 2/1/10 - Charlene Burge writes: After our recent rains (downpours) I'm guessing some folks are beginning to see flowers pop up. I hope to see reports from other folks! We traveled yesterday from San Luis Obispo to San Jose, and along the way noticed a couple of dense "stripes" of California Poppies above Cuesta Grade (the "hill" just north of San Luis Obispo). The area is National Forest land and accessible to the public. As we came into the orchard lands near the South Bay we also noticed fields of black mustard under the still-bare orchard trees. Before we left Sonoma/Napa Counties last week, we noticed black mustard growing in the vineyards, too. Anza-Borrego - 2/1/10 - RT Hawke writes: Hi Carol, I don't know when your web page is going to start for the season, but here goes . . . Anza-Borrego 1/30 Palm Canyon and Hellhole Canyon, The season has started with the rare plant Crossosoma in full bloom (although only 10 plants). Desert Apricot is nearing full bloom also. I only saw 18 other plant species in bloom, and with few individuals at that. However, with the big rains, a lot of the annuals have germinated and have four or five leaves. I predict the games will begin soon. My guess would be three weeks (but there are other variables). For good information, people should watch Tom Chester's web page. Bay Area/Mt. Diablo - 1/31/10 - Duncan Carter writes: Only January but the mustard is plentiful along the Bay Area highways and the dentaria is showing at the 1,500-foot level on Mt. Diablo. Best rains in years, could be a banner year. Thousand Oaks - 1/8/10 - Jane "Spider" Fawke writes: Here is the first wildflower report of the season! Jan 8. Lang Ranch Open Space. Thousand Oaks, California. The Lang Ranch Open Space is located at the far North end of Westlake Boulevard in Thousand Oaks. Take the 101 North exit at Westlake Blvd, follow Westlake to Lang Ranch Parkway, turn right, go past the Chumash Interpretive Center, at the far East end of Lang Ranch Parkway you will find the trailhead which joins up with the Simi Hills and China Flats open space managed by National Park Service. Just up from the trail head you will be able to look South into the Chumash Interpretive Center, where a large stand of Manzanita is blooming. About 1 1/2 miles in, you will see a big rock face on your left, (north), carry on up the trail going east, you will pass some big stands of Prickly Phlox on the south side walls, Chilicothe is starting to bloom along most of the trails. We also observed Purple Nightshade, California Everlasting, Bladderpod, Shrubby Butterweed, Wishbone Bush, Yellow Monkeyflower, Yellow Chaenactis, Miners Weed and Coyote Bush. Ranger Sheila Fernandez reports Shooting Stars blooming in abundance on the Stagecoach Trail in Wildwood Park. You can check out our trail system and locations on COSCA.org. San Mateo County - 1/18/10 - Craig Dremman writes: January 18, 2010 - San Mateo County, East Palo Alto, West Bayshore Road, between University Avenue and 7-11 store, against US highway 101 soundwall, blooming yellow-orange small annual wildflower in the sunflower family, that has not been seen in this area for probably 100 years. The drought has suppressed the annual exotic grasses and weeds, and native seeds that have laid dormant for up to 100 years, have sprouted and grown. Probably Monolopia major. Directions: 101 highway take Univeristy ave. exit east towards Palo Alto. At first light a few feet from highway, left at Woodland, and bear left to get onto the highway frontage road, and go left and follow around the two curves. Plants grow on frontage road between sound wall and roadside, to the 7-11 store. This blooming of long-dormant native seeds, released from the suppression of the exotic grasses by the extreme drought conditions in California, has been observed for the last two years elsewhere in California, particularly along Highway 46 and 58 near San Luis Obispo. Photos and mile-by-mile details about what you can see in March and April along highway 58 can be found at http://www.ecoseeds.com/wild.2008.html and other photos at http://www.ecoseeds.com/wild.2009.html and http://www.ecoseeds.com/wild.html All information copyrighted © by the individual authors and may not be reproduced without their individual permission. |