Just in time to get a mention in the last report of 2025, two exquisite new plants serendipitously blossomed this week in the Theodore Payne Foundation gardens. One is the Humboldt lily a tall, slim beauty arising from a bulb and growing sometimes to 8 feet. It is bejeweled with large orange flowers stippled with maroon splotches. Watch the hummingbirds flock to it! The other plant starting to bloom in the garden is mock orange. The perfumed citrusy fragrance beguiles visitors to swoon over masses of lovely white blossoms extended from long, arched branches. It is a handsome shrub and one of California’s most fragrant plants. Other areas of the gardens still have perennial favorites blooming into late spring, early summer including the ever-cheery sunflower, showy penstemon, Matilija poppy, and our favorite flower from early spring through early summer, the California poppy.

In the foothills of the mighty Sierra Nevada, when the landscape fades to a golden brown and the wildflowers have mostly progressed to seed, up pops the harvest brodiaea through the spent flowers and grasses. This deep purple charmer emerges from underground bulbs and zillions of them brighten up the drying landscape like the last fireworks of a celebration event. Harvest brodiaea is the true harbinger of summer. After an industrious spring for flowers, pollinators and curious posy peepers, the days of rest draw near and longing for next spring begins.

At Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, the Airplane Monument Loop Trail is filled with flowers, despite this being a half-normal-rainfall year! The cute little summer snow carpets the ground along much of the route. This is an amazing place for all gilia species. A total of five different species can be found including pink angel’s gilia, blue globe gilia, volcanic gilia and purple spot gilia. Best surprise though, white fairy lanterns are in bloom in great numbers everywhere along the route. Cuyamaca is an easy and pleasant hike. If you never explored this gem of a State Park, do so now while so many annual wildflowers are still in bloom.

In Southern California, the valleys and foothills are fading, leaving behind fruit and seed for next year’s germination. Above 4000 feet in elevation however, many spring wildflowers are just coming into glorious bloom.

Back in March when we first reported on the wildflower awakening on Figueroa Mountain in the Los Padres Nation Forest, there wasn’t hope for a super display this year. A wildfire had scourged the area in July of 2024. Certainly, some post fire annuals would show up, but with so much devastation and little winter rainfall, it was thought that wildflowers would be sparse and short-lived. A different story emerged, however. A field reporter returned to Figueroa Mountain five times over the spring to photo document an amazing wildflower succession over two months. You have read these chronicles in TPF’s Wildflower Hotline reports this spring. The 5th trip last week found, once again, the wildflower display was good with a variety of new species replacing the earlier spring blooms. Most of the California poppy and purple lupine displays have faded, as have the chia, blue dicks, globe gilia and fiesta flowers. Instead, the displays included several late-season flowers. The lovely ruby chalice clarkia, showy elegant clarkia, California hedge nettle, California cudweed, Catalina Mariposa lily, butter lupine, pacific pea, purple pagodas, fringed onion, miner’s lettuce, common phacelia, and scorpion weed were widespread. The presence of so many clarkias, a.k.a “farewell-to-spring,” makes one wonder how long Figueroa Mountain will continue to debut new wildflower species. It was indeed a successful wildflower season on Figueroa Mountain in 2025.

Driving along Hwy 74 in the San Jacinto Mountains, you will come upon Morris Ranch Road in Garner Valley. The road is lined with flowers in its uphill section, including a nice stand of grape soda lupine at the beginning of the south fork of the San Jacinto River. The Bajada lupine is in full bloom along the immediate roadside as well. The sunny yellow interior goldenbush is starting to brighten up the region while the smaller chia sage is filling in spaces between them making for a nice purple and yellow color combination. There are pleasing blooms on the lower part of the Cedar Spring Trail, including Davidson’s phacelia, prickly phlox, common forget-me-nots, baby blue eyes, and hairy lotus. Cupped leaf ceanothus, Eastwood manzanita, and pink bracket manzanita are in lovely bloom there too. On the sun exposed upper part of the trail, wild canterbury bells are a delight to behold dotting the landscape with their purple-blue color. Near the top of the trail, pretty pink Johnston’s rockcress was scattered about. This area is just starting to bloom well and should be good to visit during the next month or so if it doesn’t get too hot.

May 16, 2025

Welcome to the Theodore Payne Foundation’s 42nd year of the Wildflower Hotline. The Hotline offers weekly on-line and recorded updates on the best locations for viewing spring wildflowers in Southern and Central California.

In Southern California, the valleys and foothills are fading, leaving behind fruit and seed for next year’s germination. Above 4000 feet in elevation however, many spring wildflowers are just coming into glorious bloom.

Manzanitas and ceanothus species have faded from their bloom in most regions of Southern California below 3500 feet. In San Diego county’s Laguna Mountains, however, manzanitas and ceanothus are still putting on a spectacular show especially along the Garnet Peak Loop trail. I’ll add a note that the Pacific Crest Trail connects here in the Laguna Mountains as well. One scenic route to arriving to the Garnet Peak Loop trail is travelling along SR76 south from Palomar Mountain. Flowers along the south side of Palomar are mostly done. Clearly spring is mostly over there. However, starting in Santa Ysabel Valley to Julian, spring is still going full blast. Somehow the blue chaparral whitethorn is still blooming gangbusters there. Fields of cream cups and lupine are painting the landscape with pastel colors. The yellow lupine or California golden banner is in bloom in a field just before Julian and just past Julian, the white palmer’s ceanothus is in glorious full bloom. There are a few patches of goldfields just above Lake Cuyamaca, and some stunning areas of redbuds along Sunrise Highway. Also spotted is serviceberry in full bloom near the beginning of Garnet Peak Trail at Sunrise Highway. One month ago, there were essentially no flowers in this area, and very little annual germination. An amazing transformation occurred in the last month, to have tons of flowers here! On the Garnet Peak trail, the star bloomers are cupped leaf ceanothus and chaparral whitethorn producing slopes of white from the cupped leaf ceanothus and rivers of blue from the chapparal whitethorn. Close to Garnet Peak, pink bracted manzanita with its deep pink flowers, joined the show. There are also good patches of Eastwood manzanita in bloom in several places along this route. Garnet Peak is covered with rocky slopes of Laguna Mountain goldenbush, an endemic species to this area. There are abundant annuals and perennials in places. Close to the trailhead there are baby blue eyes, strigose lotus, coastal gilia, and Washoe phacelia among others. Garnet Peak was beautiful now, so make the trip soon.

With a massive bloom of speckled clarkia, spring is winding down in the foothill country of the southern Sierra. Intermingling with the speckled clarkia, the spring madia are still in bloom. Also, prominent both along the highways and the trails, are the fragrant California buckeye, an abundance of bright yellow rock bush monkey flower and creamy white blooms of blue elderberry. Along oak grove trails one will still find colorful patches of mustang clover and the elegant Ithuriel’s spear. While the speckled clarkia is the one most impressive, two other farewell-to-spring species are found here and announcing the long hot quiet summer season: elegant clarkia and the lovely four spot clarkia.

This Mother’s Day weekend, treat Mom to a wildflower walk at one of our local gardens.

Spectacular blooms are on view now at the California Botanic Garden. Heading up the list of unusual colors is the sulfur yellow Conejo buckwheat. Electric and royal blues, bright pinks, and lavenders are represented by several penstemons and an array of sages. Pretty but prickly are colorful hedgehog cactus, cholla cactus species, prickly pear cactus and beavertail cactus. Evening primrose, phlox species, yucca and agave are quite dramatic even if they are dressed “only” in white blossoms!

At the Theodore Payne Foundation, showy penstemon is a prolific bloomer decorating TPF's gardens in vivid purple. Also exciting, the first of the Matilija poppy, or fried egg flowers have opened along the parking, inviting visitors to explore more in the garden. Chia can be found blooming around the demonstration gardens, Wildflower Hill, and the sales yard along with California brittlebush, common sunflower, many sages. Both prickly pear and beavertail cacti are also very showy.

Be sure to check out gifts for Mom in the Theodore Payne Store, including hanging planter baskets, cards by Lesley Goren, watering cans, Monarch seed collection, or a gift card!

The La Alba Trail along the Murrieta Hogbacks runs adjacent to the Santa Rosa Plateau. Unlike the relatively easy to moderate trails of the Plateau, the La Alba hiking loop is more challenging, but rewards with the iconic sights, sounds and fragrance of pristine coastal sage scrub, one of the most cherished plant communities in California. Everything is in full bloom. Keystone species like black sage, California buckwheat, sagebrush and deerweed are in prolific bloom and attracting pollinators. Nice pockets of wildflowers include Mariposa lily, baby blue eyes, goldfields, and phacelia. It is also a habitat that is popular for birders. Adding to the enjoyment are stunning views of the surrounding Santa Ana Mountains wilderness.

At Figueroa Mountain, it’s "hide and seek" wildflowering in several places where the maturing tall grasses conceal many individual blooms. For those willing to wander, the mountain holds several flowering finds: bouquets of small white Cream cups, scattered purple Wine Cup Clarkia, pink Checker Bloom, and vibrant Dudleya dotting the hillsides. White Globe Gilia mixed and vivid lupine are plentiful.

In areas burned by the Station Fire, annuals are taking advantage of the lower competition for resources. Bright orange poppies and blue-white lupine blanket the hillsides in the burn scar, contrasting with the charred skeletons of oaks and pines and the ash-covered ground. Nature’s resilience is evident as almost every fire-blackened tree and bush has fresh green growth at its base.

Welcome to the Theodore Payne Foundation’s 42nd year of the Wildflower Hotline. The Hotline offers weekly on-line and recorded updates on the best locations for viewing spring wildflowers in Southern and Central California.

In the Coast Ranges of California at Pinnacles National Park, mid-spring wildflowers are popping up along the many trails available to visitors. Maybe you will be surprised with a glimpse of a rare California Condor circling above! A fun plant easily spotted in open sunny areas is gray mule ears growing in large patches. The name appropriately describes the large, fuzzy leaves that resemble big floppy ears. The wind poppy are found in shady foothill areas. Their bright orange flowers balancing on a single long stem stand out in the shade The pretty purple winecup clarkia is widespread in the Park and supports a wide range of pollinator species, so you will likely encounter a number of colorful insects as well as colorful flowers.

Wildflower enthusiasts are flocking to Figueroa Mountain in the Los Padres National Forest. Notably, the poppy display currently is beyond belief! The Lake Fire last summer charred the landscape, but colorful annuals came roaring back. Look for a number of fire- follower species like fiesta flower, chia, goldfields, globe gilia, blue dicks, Mariposa lily, miner’s lettuce, red skinned onion, various phacelias, silver puff, chocolate lily, yellow monkeyflower, sky lupine, wallflower, California golden violet, and many more. Some perennials are making their way back as well including silver bush lupine, California buckwheat, and bush poppy. Make the effort to visit before the weather gets hot.

At the Theodore Payne Foundation, showy penstemon is a prolific bloomer decorating TPF's gardens in vivid purple. Also exciting, the first of the Matilija poppy flowers have opened along the parking lot and are inviting visitors to explore more in the garden. Chia can be found blooming around the demonstration gardens, Wildflower Hill, and the sales yard along with California brittlebush, common sunflower, and many sage species. Both prickly pear and beavertail cactus are in bloom and very showy.

Since the report earlier this month, many more blooms have popped up at Casper’s Regional Park in Orange County. Along the Dick Loskotn Trail, look for patches of Catalina mariposa lilies in the grasslands, along with San Diego jewel flower and Padre’s shooting stars. Wild canterbury bells prefer sunnier slopes along with a few showy chaparral yucca. Not far from the West Ridge Trail boundary, you will find a large, blooming clematis vine. There are others nearby, but this one clematis is particularly grand with stunning flowers begging to be photographed. On the Starr Rise Trail, search for cute California golden violets growing in clumps low to the ground. Chaparral gilia, blue dicks, miniature lupine and popcorn flowers are fading but have some interesting seed pods still to show. Some huge chalk dudleya reside along the trail as well. There are spectacular vistas of Orange County’s wildlands as you ascend the ridges.

The word from recent visitors to the Santa Rosa Plateau in Riverside County is that annuals and geophytes are blooming nicely, and it is an excellent time to hike the trails! The Sylvan Meadows Trail and the Vernal Pools Trail are good places to see some iconic Plateau species. Various oaks have fresh new foliage and are in flower. They provide a lovely canopy along some pathways. The California peony is tucked near and under protective chaparral shrubs and are just starting to bloom. California golden violet, milkvetch, Southern checker bloom and great numbers of blue dicks can be found in open, sunny areas along trails. The regal Mission manzanita is past bloom, but just starting to go to fruit. Check out their bountiful bunches of copper-red berries.

A short, easy hike along the Pacific Crest Trail at Crowder Canyon in the busy Cajon Pass near Phelan, will delight you with an array of spring blooms. You will encounter a lovely mix of Mojave Desert and chaparral flowering perennials and annuals. Lots of ceanothus, are still in flower along with narrowleaf goldenbush and bush poppy, Fiddleneck, goldfields, chia, and phacelia are blooming, though somewhat patchy in occurrence. Also find decent numbers of baby blue eyes, miniature lupine, bajada lupine, Mojave Desert parsley, California butterweed, blazing stars, and blue dicks.

Driving around Lake Kaweah in the southern Sierra foothills east of Visalia, the landscape is transitioning from early to mid-spring bloom. Eastwood’s fiddlenecks are fading, and the hillsides are shifting from deep gold to brilliant yellow as the madia comes into flower. Surprisingly early this year, the harbingers of summer—speckled clarkia are already starting to make bold splashes of pink on the sunnier slopes. Amidst the pinks and yellow, are occasional patches of orange foothill poppies and pale blue fiesta flowers. Here and there, purple pagodas in their royal purple cloaks, add to this colorful oak woodland landscape. Annual lupines of two varieties, spider lupine and miniature lupine decorate the roadsides and slopes in varying shades of blue. Around the lake, the silver bush lupine floral show is fading as their developing seed pods are growing fat and plump. Taking their place on rocky and shadier north-facing slopes are the bold yellow bush monkey flowers. Drive slowly to see that amongst the monkey flower, clinging to tiny rock crevices, are hundreds of canyon dudleya. Glowing with their bright orange candelabra-like blooms, they stand out dramatically against their chalky-white foliage. Most of the rock faces preferred by these two plants along with mats of rock lichens, display a burnished deep orange-red color making for quite an impressive presentation. There are also local geophytes in full bloom, including pink twining brodiaea [broh-dee-ah], buttery yellow pretty face and purple Ithuriel’s spear. While there are not a great number, this is one of the best places to find the elegant, and arguably the “queen” of Calochortus—pink fairy lanterns. Also coming into mid-spring bloom on sunny slopes and trails are diminutive blooming Heermann's golden sunburst, bird’s-eye gilia, tom cat clover and mustang clover.

A few weeks ago, we reported on the devastation left by last summer’s Lake Fire on Figueroa Mountain in the Los Padres National Forest. Notably, poppies and lupines were emerging from the blackened landscape. While many mature trees and shrubs perished, the wildflower display currently is beyond belief! Look for regional fire-following annuals, including fiesta flowers, chia, goldfields, globe gilias, blue dicks, Mariposa lilies, miner’s lettuce, red skinned onions, various phacelias, silver puffs, chocolate lilies, yellow monkeyflowers, sky lupines, wallflowers California golden violets and many more. Some perennials are making their way back as well. Look for silver bush lupine, California buckwheat and bush poppy. Make the effort to visit before the weather gets hot.

The iconic colors of California—the rich golds and blues—are unfurling through the gardens at the Theodore Payne Foundation. Joining the California poppies, fiddlenecks, sunflowers, and California sun cups are, this week, the Palo Verde trees now in glorious bloom. This palette of yellow gold is now coupled with desert bluebells, chia, several sage species and the electric blue showy penstemon. Cheery yellow blossoms of bush sunflower, canyon sunflower and Nevin’s barberry are brightening up pathways elsewhere. Trekking up Wildflower Hill adjacent to the sales yard, you will encounter fragrant Cedros Island verbena, woolly blue curls, and California four o’clock. Enjoy this explosion of color and by the way, many of these can also be purchased at the TPF plant sale this weekend!

Welcome to the Theodore Payne Foundation’s 42nd year of the Wildflower Hotline. The Hotline offers weekly on-line and recorded updates on the best locations for viewing spring wildflowers in Southern and Central California. All locations are on easily accessible public lands and range from urban to wild, distant to right here in L.A. Please support the Wildflower Hotline today at theodorepayne.org/donate.

The annual Open House events are scheduled at Prisk Native Garden for the next two Sundays, April 6th and April 13th from 1 to 4 pm. Please attend one of the Sunday dates or both! Visitors will learn about the 30-year-old Garden on a school campus in Long Beach that has a mission to engage children in nature’s joyful and restorative experiences. Overnight seemingly, because of mild warm temperatures following mid-March rain, there are colorful blossoms everywhere, with more coming each week. In addition to the ubiquitous California poppies. Arroyo lupine, and tidy tips, there are lovely patches of five-spot, mounds of baby blue-eyes, Mojave bluebells, and various fragrant sages. Dorr’s sage, for example, brings home the wild aroma of the high desert in spring bloom. Many members of the cactus family are beginning to pop in the Desert Wash section. The claret cup cactus and Engelmann's hedgehog are beaming with blossoms! Elsewhere, look for meadow foam in the shadier, moister areas. Shrubs in all the garden habitats have been flowering profusely, including Island bush poppy showing off their large, yellow flowers set upon elegant gray-green foliage, or hot pink flowers of fairy duster beaconing passing hummingbirds. This is just a tiny taste of the Garden’s color palette. Next week on Sunday April 13, these bountiful blooms and hopefully many more will be available for viewing for the second Open House event.

A great place to enjoy a recreational spring fling is Pinnacles National Park. Signs of spring are everywhere. The geography of the park provides raptors with ideal nesting sites, both on the inaccessible cliffs, craggy rock formations and on the oaks and pines along the riparian corridors. Although some of the trails are closed during peak nesting season (check park website), you may spot prairie falcons, golden eagles, red-tailed hawks, and American kestrels to name a few. Entering the park at the Eastern portal, you can’t help but notice the large perennial silver bush lupines peppering the landscape. Depending on the trail you choose, and there are many, early spring flowers can be seen throughout the park. The blue-purple blue witch is common in the chaparral. Look there too for Fremont’s star lily growing among the grasses and under chaparral shrubs. The deep shade cast by oaks and other riparian trees give refuge to the shade loving California saxifrage, purple pagoda, small flower woodland star and fiesta flower. All of them like to hang out in shady areas with the sunlight filtering through tree canopies. Find them now along the Bench Trail or occupying meadows like those along the Rim Trail. Also preferring grassy, open areas but in sunnier locations, are baby blue eyes and cream cups It’s impossible to choose the “cutest” flower in California but cream cups, seen along the North Wilderness Trail, would be a contender. Each creamy petal grades to a buttery yellow at the center where you find a pom-pom of filaments and stamens.

Welcome to the Theodore Payne Foundation’s 42nd year of the Wildflower Hotline. The Hotline offers weekly on-line and recorded updates on the best locations for viewing spring wildflowers in Southern and Central California. All locations are on easily accessible public lands and range from urban to wild, distant to right here in L.A. Please support the Wildflower Hotline.

The annual Open House events are scheduled at Prisk Native Garden for the next two Sundays, April 6th and April 13th from 1 to 4 pm. Please attend one of the Sunday dates or both! Visitors will learn about the 30-year-old Garden on a school campus in Long Beach that has a mission to engage children in nature’s joyful and restorative experiences. Overnight seemingly, because of mild warm temperatures following mid-March rain, there are colorful blossoms everywhere, with more coming each week. In addition to the ubiquitous California poppies. Arroyo lupine, and tidy tips, there are lovely patches of five-spot, mounds of baby blue-eyes, Mojave bluebells, and various fragrant sages. Dorr’s sage, for example, brings home the wild aroma of the high desert in spring bloom. Many members of the cactus family are beginning to pop in the Desert Wash section. The claret cup cactus and Engelmann's hedgehog are beaming with blossoms! Elsewhere, look for meadow foam in the shadier, moister areas. Shrubs in all the garden habitats have been flowering profusely, including Island bush poppy showing off their large, yellow flowers set upon elegant gray-green foliage, or hot pink flowers of fairy duster beaconing passing hummingbirds. This is just a tiny taste of the Garden’s color palette. Next week on Sunday April 13, these bountiful blooms and hopefully many more will be available for viewing for the second Open House event.

A great place to enjoy a recreational spring fling is Pinnacles National Park. Signs of spring are everywhere. The geography of the park provides raptors with ideal nesting sites, both on the inaccessible cliffs, craggy rock formations and on the oaks and pines along the riparian corridors. Although some of the trails are closed during peak nesting season (check park website), you may spot prairie falcons, golden eagles, red-tailed hawks, and American kestrels to name a few. Entering the park at the Eastern portal, you can’t help but notice the large perennial silver bush lupines peppering the landscape. Depending on the trail you choose, and there are many, early spring flowers can be seen throughout the park. The blue-purple blue witch is common in the chaparral. Look there too for Fremont’s star lily growing among the grasses and under chaparral shrubs. The deep shade cast by oaks and other riparian trees give refuge to the shade loving California saxifrage, purple pagoda, small flower woodland star and fiesta flower. All of them like to hang out in shady areas with the sunlight filtering through tree canopies. Find them now along the Bench Trail or occupying meadows like those along the Rim Trail. Also preferring grassy, open areas but in sunnier locations, are baby blue eyes and cream cups It’s impossible to choose the “cutest” flower in California but cream cups, seen along the North Wilderness Trail, would be a contender. Each creamy petal grades to a buttery yellow at the center where you find a pom-pom of filaments and stamens.

That’s it for this week. Visit the Wildflower Hotline website to see photos of these and more wildflower sites. The Theodore Payne Foundation’s. annual Native Plant Garden Tour is April 5 & 6. Tickets are now on sale. Check the TPF website theodorepayne.org for details. The next report will be available on Friday, April 11.

Friday, March 28 2025

Welcome to the Theodore Payne Foundation’s 42nd year of the Wildflower Hotline. The Hotline offers weekly on-line and recorded updates on the best locations for viewing spring wildflowers in Southern and Central California. All locations are on easily accessible public lands and range from urban to wild, distant to right here in L.A. Please support the Wildflower Hotline.

The herbaceous perennials, woody shrubs, and trees have leafed-out and are blossoming well following the mid-March rain events. A few hardy annuals have started to appear like goldfields, fiddlenecks, popcorn flowers and some lupine species. It doesn’t seem promising for wild landscape super blooms. Our best wildflower shows in Southern California are at maintained gardens like Theodore Payne, California Botanic Garden, and home gardens like the ones you will see on Theodore Payne’s Garden Tour April 5 and 6.

In the Southern Sierra foothill region east of Visalia, redbud trees are still blossoming and dot the slopes with their fuchsia pink buds and flowers. Petite and whipsy stems of Eastman’s fiddlenecks, rusty popcorn flower, electric blue hound’s tongue blossoms, silver bush lupine and not one, but TWO species of baby blue eyes are in peak bloom. Wild hyacinths are poking up from the ground everywhere. Shooting stars, buck brush and tiny-but-mighty miner’s lettuce are fading slowly but Greene’s saxifrage is still standing strong and tall in the moist meadows. These delicate flowers paint a lovely picture of early spring in the Sierra Nevada foothills.

The usual riotous wildflower bloom at Placerita Canyon Nature Center has not appeared yet this year. However, the hills within and around the park are shrouded in places with shades of white and blue blossoms of two ceanothus species. The fragrance in the air is delightful.

Shades of blue and lavender dominate the color scheme this week at the California Botanic Garden, Check out the various lupines, native Douglas iris, fragrant sages. little purple houses, assorted phacelias and the many lovely ceanothus species .The flashes of red exploding on the scene and catching your attention are the firecracker penstemons. Low to the ground, the upturned faces of sunny yellow Southern sun cups can be found in many open areas of the garden. Other plants along the maze of picturesque trails include desert globemallows, California redbuds, California buttercups, wallflowers, sticky monkeyflowers, Baja roses and sugar bushes. Of course, you would expect, at the California Botanic Garden, you might find California poppies and indeed, they are everywhere!

That’s it for this week. Visit the Wildflower Hotline website to see photos of these and more wildflower sites. The Theodore Payne Foundation’s. annual Native Plant Garden Tour is April 5 & 6. Tickets are now on sale. Check the TPF website theodorepayne.org for details. The next report will be available on Friday, April 4th.