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Page Revised: 4/12/05 |
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Available Sites Semler Park |
Date of Review 4/11/05 |
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See the photo gallery of
What’s Blooming at: http://www.nps.gov/samo/bloom/bloom.htm |
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In the interest of keeping
this What’s Blooming page brief, but simultaneously providing
access to past reports, we have created an archive
of previous reports |
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The vast fields of
wildflowers that some were expecting have not yet appeared, but we may still
see them if the weather cooperates. Indeed, we are
still waiting for that superlative display which will earn an
‘Excellent’ rating. Plant growth is definitely lush. If
you do encounter an excellent site please let us know. Many organizations are now
offering guided wildflower walks. You can check the Spring calendar of the
Santa Monica Mountains NRA, Outdoors, for more details. The on-line
version of this published booklet can be found at http://www.nps.gov/samo/outdoors. |
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Westlake Vista / Semler
Park |
Pentachaeta Trail |
Date: 4/11/05 |
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This little-known trail is at the end
of Triunfo Canyon Road just beyond the intersection of Lindero Canyon Road.
Managed as Open Space by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, the easy
1-mile trail is named for the endangered “Lyon’s
pentachaeta,” a small daisy endemic to the Santa Monica Mountains and
Simi Hills (only 20 known populations, this area one of the best). The trail
traverses open hillside meadows mixed with chaparral, and though the grasses
are starting to turn, the wildflowers are just hitting their stride. Most
profuse were coast goldfields in wide patches with clumps of owl’s
clover and blue-eyed grass mixed in – a stunning color-combo! Lots of
chamise, golden yarrow, and dove lupine were also seen, with bright patches
of Chinese houses hiding in the chaparral shade. Further on, another good
combo mixed ground-pink with angel’s gilia and goldfields. Others in
the profuse or patchy categories were woolly blue-curls, red maids,
caterpillar phacelia, coast lotus, fiesta flower, chia, yellow pincushion,
blue larkspur—and a few mariposa lilies and fairy lanterns. All-in-all,
a unique mix of 45 species – don’t forget your camera! (JG) |
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Naturalist's rating: Very Good |
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Newton & Upper
Solstice Canyons |
The Backbone Trail |
Date: 4/9/05 |
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This hike was the fifth of the NPS
2004-2005 Backbone Trail Series. We will be hiking the entire Backbone Trail,
one part each month and reporting on the flowers seen. A couple of the early
hikes that were rained out have been re-scheduled for April and May resulting
in two hikes in each of these months. This hike was from the Kanan Dume Road
Trailhead to the Corral Canyon Road trailhead, about 6.5 miles. This trail
drops into cool oak groves and rises up to dry sage scrub several times along
its length providing multiple opportunities to see a large variety of
flowers. We recorded seeing 119 different species in bloom. Several of the
flower displays were quite spectacular, especially among the blue flowers. We
are still waiting for that superlative display that will earn an excellent
rating. Highlights include masses of Fiesta
Flowers, frequent Catalina Mariposa Lilies, Star Lilies, Indian Paintbrush,
Monkey flowers, good quantities of both Parry's and Caterpillar Phacelias,
Sunflowers, several different Lupines, Evening Primrose, Blue-eyed Grass,
Chinese Houses, groves of Chamise, Crimson Pitcher Sage, Indian Pink, Woolly Blue Curls, California Poppies,
Tree Poppy, many Blue Dick, and Globe Gilia. |
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Naturalist's rating: Very Good |
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Zuma & Trancas
Canyons |
Zuma Loop Trail |
Date: 4/3/05 |
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About 25 species of wildflowers are
in bloom in the lower canyon area. Dominant species include: bush and canyon sunflowers,
scarlet pimpernel, black sage, and fiesta flower. Other species along the
higher portion of the loop trail include Catalina mariposa lily, Indian
paintbrush, bush lupine and blue-eyed grass. There is still a good amount of
water flowing through Zuma Creek. All creek crossings are passable with some
rock hopping. (KL) |
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Naturalist's rating: Good |
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Solstice Canyon |
Solstice Canyon Trail |
Date: 3/31/05 |
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Along the easy 1.25 mile trail to Tropical
Terrace, flowers are sparse. Sages, sunflowers, and poppies are common in the
re-vegetation area, but outside of that only single specimens are showing
here and there. Near the Keller House are the bright oranges, purple and
yellow of nasturtium, bull mallow and oxalis – all non-natives. We
counted ten species blooming along the by pass road and only 5 more on the
way up to the Tropical Terrace. White nightshade and hedge nettle made a nice
grouping in the shaded area just before the Sostomo Trail cut off. (SB) |
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Naturalist's rating: Fair |
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Point Mugu State Park |
La Jolla Canyon / Lower
Loop Trails |
Date: 3/31/05 |
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Although the first mile is pretty dry
and past its peak, the heat is really bringing out the deerweed, bush
sunflower, yellow sweet clover, caterpillar phacelia, and coast paintbrush.
Once past the waterfall however, the wide-open, sunny canyon becomes narrow
and shady, and the plant life is more lush. The last of the coreopsis and
wallflower are seen along with Indian pinks, eucrypta, fiesta flower, canyon
sunflower, and wild rose. As you switch-back up the hill, you’ll come
across good numbers of peninsular onion: clusters of purple, star-shaped
flowers on single stems. Meandering along the upper canyon, look for the
fruits of chaparral currant and lemonade berry plus some deep-purple
Parry’s phacelia, greenbark ceanothus, and more paintbrush. If you take
a left turn at the lower part of Loop Trail, you’ll quickly enter the
valley’s famous grasslands dotted with mariposa lilies and blue-eyed
grass. Look for the primary bunchgrass, Nassella
pulchra (purple needlegrass), just coming into seed. Overall, about 60
species are blooming along the way.
(JG) |
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Naturalist's rating: Good to Very Good |
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Cheeseboro & Palo
Comado Canyons |
China Flat Trail |
Date: 3/30/05 |
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On 3/30/05 we hiked the China Flat Trail
in the Cheeseboro/Palo Comado canyon preserve. The trail was badly rutted by
the recent rains, but dry. The flowers were out in large quantities with 82
species identified, warranting a very good rating. Starting immediately at
the trail head just off Lindero Canyon Rd. we found a profusion of blooms
starting with the mundane prickly sow thistle, sour clover, red stem filaree,
hedge mustard, horehound, popcorn flower and bush sunflower. A large stand of
Chilean clover and some windmill pinks, bur clover and scarlet pimpernel were
scattered along the trail. Chamise, small evening primrose, black sage, hoary
leaf ceanothus, bush monkey flower and wooly blue curl were also abundant.
Yerba Santa was found all along the trail. The foliage was quite ragged, but
many blooms were present. The lavender rock rose (Cistus), mule fat, blue dick, and masses of the long billed
filaree were also seen. Annual cat's ear, owl's clover, dove lupine, purple
nightshade, and wild cucumber had several representatives in bloom. Many
small flowers were present in amongst the grasses including Chile lotus,
Minute flowered popcorn flower, strigose lotus, silver puff and angel’s
gilia. Proceeding further up the canyon we
found Calif. buckwheat, mustard evening primrose, fern-leaf phacelia, morning
glory, violet snapdragon and chia. Eucrypta, wishbone bush, stinging lupine,
yellow monkey flower and common groundsel were also flowering. Deerweed was
starting to bloom and many yellow pincushions were present. We spotted slender bedstraw, tumbling
mustard, two toned everlasting, and both the common Calif. poppy and the
collarless poppy. Lace pod, Calif everlasting, fiddle neck, collared lupine
and cobwebby thistle were plentiful. Several prickly phlox, black mustard,
velvet leaf everlasting, sun cup and snake root were seen. The bright blue
flowers of the hairy ceanothus and lots of miner's lettuce and some annual
bedstraw were found. Fiesta flower, chickweed, spring vetch, pineapple weed,
and dandelion were also found. Several elderberry were blooming as were small
flowered fiddleneck, western ragweed, shepherd's purse, and a single purple Clarkia. Grasses in bloom include soft brome,
wild oats, hare barley, golden top, slender oats, rip-gut brome, Madrid
brome, and red brome. (RWM) |
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Naturalist's rating: Very Good |
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Rancho Sierra Vista |
Satwiwa Loop / Hidden
Valley Overlook |
Date: 3/29/05 |
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As the meadow grasses go to seed, the
hills and canyons are coming into peak bloom with nearly 60 wildflower
species seen. The high part of the loop—a half-mile stretch between the
windmill and Upper Sycamore Canyon Trail—continues to show the best
variety. Notables included hedge nettle, snake root, the last shooting stars,
dove lupine, blue-eyed grass, continuing ceanothus, Indian pinks, black sage,
fiesta flower, and miner’s lettuce. Better yet, the Hidden Valley
Overlook Trail—often “overlooked,” but with great ocean
views—turned up a profusion of mariposa lilies and golden yarrow, with
lots of bush sunflowers, wishbone bush, and the first CA buckwheat and bush
mallow. With this much on the lip of Upper Sycamore Canyon, the trail to the
stream, waterfall, and down-canyon should be overflowing with flowers. (JG) |
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Naturalist's rating: Good to Very Good |
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Circle X Ranch |
Canyon View Trail |
Date: 3/27/05 |
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The Canyon View Trail is really one
of the best for flowers. Right off the
bat there is chamise, blue dicks, California buckwheat and black sage in
bloom. In the frequent exposed rocky
places there is an array of yellow monkey flower, larkspur, parry's phacelia,
mustard evening primrose, popcorn flower and chia. There are big patches of globe gilia along
the trail. In one spot there are
caterpillar, big flower and parry's phacelia all growing together. There is golden yarrow, sticky monkey
flower, deerweed, stinging lupine, purple nightshade and woolly blue curls.
There are more star lilies this year than I have ever seen before. There are several lovely groups of mariposa
lilies. There are creeks which are
frequently dry that are now flowing with water. By these creeks red-skinned onion and
annual paintbrush are blooming. There
are many clumps of rock rose. . (DS) |
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Naturalist's rating: Very
Good |
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Circle X Ranch |
Grotto Trail |
Date: 3/27/05 |
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This easy-to-moderate trail goes downhill
about 1.5 miles through riparian, grassland, and chaparral habitats, in shade
and sun, with dramatic views of Boney Ridge and a few waterfalls. This time
of year, the wildflowers are always good and over 60 species were
viewed—though it’s not yet peaking. The standouts included
Parry’s phacelia, golden yarrow, microseris, stinging lupine, mariposa
lilies, spring vetch, canyon sunflower, blue-eyed grass, and mustard evening
primrose. Just past the first waterfall, look for the rocky seep with moss, ferns,
blue larkspur, California saxifrage, creek monkey flowers, and bunches of
Chinese houses. After crossing the creek at the bottom of the hill,
you’ll find a late-blooming fuchsia-flowered gooseberry, lots of blue
dicks, and some giant star lilies. With spring in full swing, you might also
notice the singing birds: purple finches, ruby-crowned kinglets, thrashers,
house and canyon wrens, Hutton’s vireos, wrentits, woodpeckers,
orange-crowned warblers, flycatchers—even an oriole and black-headed
grosbeak near the trailhead. Birds, blooms, and lots of water for another
month or two—catch it while you can. (JG) |
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Naturalist's rating: Good
to Very Good |
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Malibu Creek State Park |
High Road to Visitor
Center |
Date: 3/24/05 |
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If you take the path marked
‘back country trails’ (Crags Road), you will still see some good
patches of wildflowers like globe gilia, wild morning glory, small flowered
lotus, owl’s clover, fiddlenecks and chia, but it is becoming
increasingly difficult as the non-native grasses have really surged ahead.
Shrubs and small trees like mule fat, greenbark ceanothus and elderberry have
the advantage as they are above the grasses.
There is a nice display of eucrypta, chia, Parry’s phacelia and
caterpillar phacelia near the white sage and in the shady spots fiesta flower
is blooming. On the rocky slopes sticky monkey flower provides splotches of
gold. Views of the creek are still
excellent. (SB) |
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Naturalist's rating: Fair |
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Circle X Ranch |
Backbone Trail below
Triunfo Peak |
Date: 3/23/05 |
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This trail is one of the newest
sections of the Backbone Trail has been crafted with much care (when the trail
was new someone did a good chunk of it in a wheelchair). As the trail has
aged grass is taking over in places and displacing the pioneering
wildflowers. The recent heavy rains have exposed rocks and caused several
slides including one place were it is necessary to leave the trail to get
around several massive boulders. The gentle slope of the trail encourages
water to pool on the trail making mud a frequent acquaintance after a
rain. The trail itself runs about six miles
from the Mishe Mokwa trailhead to Yerba Buena Road at about mile 9.10. I decided to come back on Yerba Buena and
make a loop of it, adding another two miles (and about ten flowers to the
count). Be careful if you choose to do
this since Yerba Buena has very little shoulder in some places. On the weekends the heavier, often fast
traffic might make this not a good idea.
Including the road, 96 different flowers were seen blooming. However, much of the trail is not heavily
flowered so I have only given this trail a “good” rating. Highlights include many Hollyleaf
Cherry, the deep blue Hairy-leaved Ceanothus, several different species of
Lupines, Prickly Phlox, Wild Morning Glory, masses of Blue Dicks, many Star
Lilies, Chia, frequent encounters with Parry's Phacelia, a beautiful
Fuchsia-flowered Gooseberry, several areas with Twining Snapdragon, Catalina
Mariposa Lily (along the road), some Blue Larkspur, Chocolate Lily, Chinese
Houses, Bush Monkey Flower, and a small creek surrounded by Red-skinned
Onion. Also seen blooming were Annual Cat's
Ear, Popcorn Flower, California Buckwheat, Wild Cucumber Golden Yarrow,
Red-stem Filaree, White-stem Filaree, Annual Bedstraw, Narrow-leaved
Bedstraw, California Filago, Eucrypta, Mountain Mahogany, Hollyleaf Redberry,
Miner's Lettuce, Black Sage, Black Mustard (and three other unidentified
mustards), Elderberry, Scrub Oak, Coast Live Oak, Purple Nightshade, Sow
Thistle, Prickly Sow Thistle, Common Groundsel, Chamise, Greenbark Ceanothus,
Bigpod Ceanothus, Hedge Nettle, Fiesta Flower, Two-tone Everlasting,
California Everlasting, Canyon Sunflower, Bush Sunflower, Pacific Sanicle,
Southern Tauschia, Yellow Monkey Flower, Creek Monkey Flower, Narrow-leaved
Fringe-Pod, Pigmy Weed, Deerweed, Strigose Lotus, Coastal Lotus, Coulter's
Lupine, Stinging Lupine, Bush Lupine, Collar Lupine, Henbit, Windmill Pink,
Silver Puffs, Rock rose, Mustard Evening Primrose, Small Evening Primrose,
Woolly Blue-curls, Bleeding Heart, Wishbone Bush, Horehound, Spanish Broom, Bigberry
Manzanita, Bur Clover, Virgin's Bower, Skullcap, Rattlesnake Weed (Daucus pusillus),
Owl Clover, Shooting Stars, Yellow Pincushion, Coast Goldfields, Poison Oak,
Pineapple Weed, California Plantain, Woolly Lomatium, Field Clover,
California Poppy, Chaparral Current, Turkey pea, Wild Radish, Cheeseweed,
White Sweet Clover, Yellow Sweet Clover, and Blow Wives. (TV) |
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Naturalist's rating: Good |
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Circle X Ranch |
Mishe Mokwa and
Sandstone Peak Trails |
Date: 3/21/05 |
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This six mile loop is quite popular, and
while it often lags the nearby Canyon View trail in flower diversity, it more
than makes up for it in grandeur of views. If you don't want to do the whole
six mile loop and are mostly interested in flowers then the section from the
trailhead to split rock usually shows three-quarters of the flowers of the
whole loop. The trail is still muddy in places because of persistent springs
along the trail, but most of the mud is shallow or avoidable. On 3/21/05 we
hiked the Mishe Mokwa Trail primarily to view the chocolate lilies before
they were done for the season. We were not disappointed, perhaps a dozen were
blooming in the usual section along the trail. I noticed that quite a few of
the plants exhibited the cut stems where a lily should have been. The trail
was muddy is places, but readily traversed. Including the grasses some 69
species were found in bloom almost all in good quantities. A rating of good
is assigned for this display. White and yellow
flowers made up two thirds of the blooms. The whites included chamise, Calif.
buckwheat, Catalina Mariposa lily, big pod ceanothus and lots of popcorn
flower. A single cliff aster but a fair amount of wooly lomatium and miner's
lettuce was seen. The usual morning glory, holly leaf red berry, eucrypta,
wild cucumber, and two-tone everlasting were also present. A very unusual
white bloom was found among a stand of Parry's phacelia, exhibiting the same
leaves and large exserted white anthers of the typical deep purple Parry's
phacelia. Perhaps this was Parry's ghost. Lace pod, holly leaf cherry,
virgin's bower, poison oak, Calif. saxifrage, Calif. everlasting, and sandbar
willow made up the rest of the white shaded blooms. The yellow/golden
colors were represented by bur clover, deerweed, golden yarrow, sow thistle,
strigose lotus, silver puff and a small evening primrose tentatively
identified as yellow sun cup. Also in this group were common groundsel,
yellow monkey flower, slender bedstraw, southern tauschia, snakeroot, Calif.
collarless poppy and bush monkey flower. Rounding off this list were both
mustard and miniature evening primrose, canyon sunflower, coast goldfield,
and American winter cress. The red tinged colors were represented only by wild
sweet pea, owl's clover and chaparral current. The
violet/blue/purple color group contributed red stem filaree, black sage, blue
dick, wooly blue curl and chia. Also seen were stinging lupine, purple night
shade, chocolate lily, Parry's phacelia, and both dove and collar lupines. A
violet snapdragon, some globe gilia, hairy leaf ceanothus and blue larkspur
were also contributors. A strange green gall was found in several locations
on a hoary leaf ceanothus. Also an unusual sight was the mass of what is
believed to be spore cells rising above the thick moss with their little
round green capsule supported on a 1/4 to 1/2 inch stalk. Grasses are
plentiful and they included slender oats, Madrid brome, foxtail barley,
golden top, red brome, blue grass, soft brome, and broom sedge grass. Some
less frequently seen bird's foot fern was also seen. (RWM) |
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Naturalist's rating: Good |
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Charmlee Wilderness
Park |
Fire Trail |
Date: 3/17/05 |
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Good wildflowers are blooming here,
but you’ll need to find your own way around the park. There are no maps
available and signage is very poor. As you cross from the bathrooms into the
picnic area, take the trail to the left. This trail takes you into the area
where the burn was two years ago. While flowers are fair at first, once you
get into the burn area, you’ll find patches ranging from good to very
good. We counted more than 50 species in bloom. There are lots of variety and
good coverage. Highlights are fields of long beaked storks bill (non native,
but very nice), along with fire followers like violet (twining) snapdragon,
branching, caterpillar and Parry’s phacelias. We went to the cistern,
then retraced our steps. (SB) |
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Naturalist's rating: Good
to Very Good |
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Nicholas Flat |
Decker School Rd Trail
to Pond |
Date: 3/17/05 |
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In a rainy year, this short, shady
trail reminds you more of central and northern California with its dense greenery
and profusion of miner’s lettuce, canyon sunflower, bedstraw,
hummingbird sage, and snakeroot. But most was yet to bloom—give it a
few more weeks. Once the trail opened out into hillside meadows, blue-eyed
grass was hiding in the tall annual grass, and a few chocolate lilies and
shooting stars lingered. Other notables among the 25 flowering species
included clumps of coast paintbrush, fiddlenecks, golden yarrow, greenbark
ceanothus, cucumber, and windmill pinks. With the pond brimming, two pairs of
sharp ring-necked ducks dabbled among the water plants, soon to be heading
north. (JG) |
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Naturalist's rating: Fair |
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Leo Carrillo State
Beach |
Loop Trail to Ocean
Overlook |
Date: 3/17/05 |
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This 2-mile trail is always a surprise
especially if you hit it at peak season—which is starting right now. 60
species were counted with many profuse, yet often seen in just small pockets over a short
distance. Since the trail provides good elevation gain and slopes face many
sun angles, micro-habitats are provided for plants with special needs. Of
particular note was the high percentage of native bunch grasses along the
whole trail, mostly nassella pulchra (needlegrass). Also continuous were bush
sunflowers, morning glory, deerweed, mustard evening primrose, popcorn,
sticky monkey flower, black sage, narrow-leaved bedstraw, wishbone bush,
Parry’s phacelia, blue dicks, coast paintbrush, and locoweed. Those
seen in pockets included mariposa lilies (along the first half-mile), scarlet
buglers (middle-mile), 5 lupines—bush, bajada, collar, foothill, and
stinging (in pockets), chia sage, bladder pod, prostrate spurge, coast lotus,
Indian pinks, and CA plantain. A GREAT mix—get on out there. It should
be good through early April. (JG) |
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Naturalist's rating: Very
Good-Excellent |
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Cold Creek Area |
Upper Stunt High Trail |
Date: 3/14/05 |
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Watch for the trailhead for this
obscure trail on Stunt Road at the equestrian crossing road sign. Views of
surrounding rocks are excellent as you descend the one mile trail. Although
the manzanitas blooms are just about finished, there are still some in bloom
plus about a dozen other species such as chamise and wooly blue curls which
make the walk worthwhile. As you finish, cross Stunt Road and continue down
the road a short distance to the Stunt Ranch area to continue your walk onto
the Stunt High Trail. (SB) |
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Naturalist's rating: Good |
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Cold Creek Area |
Stunt High Trail |
Date: 3/14/05 |
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Parking for this trailhead is on
Stunt Road about 1 mile in from Mulholland Highway. Across the street is the
entrance to the Calabasas Fire Road. We parked here and drove another car up
Stunt Road where this trailhead starts at the telephone pole at the upper end
of Stunt Ranch, UCLA Reserve parking. The two mile trail descends through the
Stunt Ranch property to the creek where we turned right to continue along the
creek back to the lower parking lot. Lots of flowers are in bloom here. We
counted 35 species spaced along the trail with a good variety, blue dicks,
eucrypta, wild cucumber, nightshade and mariposa lilies. By far the highlights of this walk were
the masses of red maids, fiddleneck and owl’s clover blooming in the
meadow in the center of the walk and the baby blue eyes blooming along the
bottom portion of the trail along the creek. (SB) |
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Naturalist's rating: Good |
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Santa
Monica Mountains National Recreation Area 401 West
Hillcrest Drive Ph.
805-370-2301 web. www.nps.gov/samo |
Thank
you for your
contributions: Sheila
Braden |
If you
would like to contribute to the wildflower report: e-mail: or phone
him at 310-457-6408 |
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