Bulbs and other wildflowers - Northern California 2014

[ashley]

Robert, it's wonderful to see these beautiful plants in nature and read about their growing conditions.  Thank you.

[ian mcenery]

Robert for some reason I had not seen this thread before.

Thank you for making the effort to share this with us.

[Maggi Young]

The Calochortus monophyllus are charming  - not that their brothers are not!

These wildflower walks  with you are areal pleasure, Robert.

[Robert]

Yes, this is an interesting project for me and it sharpens my skills.

I'm glad that it is appreciated by others - thank you, all, for the positive comments!

With the trip the other day I could have made things interesting, as there was a big rattlesnake in the trail sunning itself! Later, I thought that it would have made a nice photograph for the forum. I guess there is next time.  I will be returning to see if there will be any seed to gather this season, and maybe, my friend will be there to greet me again.

[Robert]

With the longer days, I was able to make it up the mountain to look for Trilliums. I didn't find any Trillium but I did find these Orchids! Corallorhiza grows, both, in dry areas as well as near streams as long as there is plenty of organic material for them to feed on.

Dicentra formosa can also be found in seasonally dry areas as well as near streams.

Down the mountain, near the post office, the Salvia sonomensis is blooming with Ceanothus roderickii - both very lovely.

[Robert]

I spent part of the day looking for Erythronium tuolumnense in the canyon of the South Fork of the Stanislaus River. This Erythronium generally blooms in March, so I was checking for seed. A very poor seed crop this season, but not surprising considering the drought.

The poppies were still blooming on the hillsides, most likely Eschscholzia caespitosa. The show is even better when there is average or above average rainfall!

In shady places there are nice drifts of Chinese Houses, Collinsia hetrophylla.

Lastly, the first of the Mariposa Lilies this season; a white form of Calochortus venustus.

[Robert]

Today was the big day to visit Erythronium taylori. I was not sure what to expect with the disastrous Rim Fire last fall.

The Erythroniums had finished blooming but I was glad to see that their habitat was in fairly good shape with some of the plants having set seed. It is so dry I'm not sure that they will make a crop this season.

Some areas were a real mess. The mountains look green but it is only grass where there were trees and shrubs. They were burned to nothing! Luckily other areas benefited from the fire - burning out the small and crowded trees.

[Robert]

Rather than being depressed I went over the Hetch Hetchy for some good medicine.

[Robert]

I didn't see much in the way of bulbous plants however there were a few other wildflowers still in bloom.

A selection:

Castilleja exserta was one of many paintbrush species in bloom.

and California Thistle,

Erigeron foliosus grew near the trailhead,

with Heuchera rubescens,

the phlox was a nice surprise!

[Robert]

The Lupines were still in bloom at the higher elevations.

Lupinus nanus and L. stiverii made a good combination.

Madia elegans, Tarweed, is wonderful near the trail, both now with its flowers, and later with its scented foliage.

Wyethia angustifolia is protected in Yosemite Park. What a blessing, out side the park cattle have eaten most of them.

[Robert]

The Rim Fire burned over 400 square miles of land!

However,

salamanders survived the Rim Fire. I saw many today!

[Ed Alverson]

Thanks, Robert,  for the update on the Rim fire. It is good to hear that the habitat of Erythronium taylori was not too severely affected, and the plants have survived, given that the entire range of the species was within the fire perimeter. Certainly, however, many other habitats and species were severely affected.

[Robert]

The big heat is here. The forecast is for 37c for the next few days. Spring is over in the low lands with the last few bulbs and wildflowers blooming locally, here, near the farm.

The California Poppies started the season and they finish the season, here with Clarkia gracilis.

Carpets of Brodiaea purdyi are everywhere -  one of my favorites! and good in the rock garden as it is fairly small.

In our area the Mariposa Lilies are blooming. I like Calochortus superbus. C. luteus is even better. Unfortunately is was growing near the freeway - too dangerous to photograph!

[Robert]

My ankle is finally healing and I can wear my hiking boots again.

Today I visited the spring on Camp Creek to get drinking water. Along the way the Roundtooth Ookow, Dichelostemma multiflorum, was in bloom.

Back at the farm, thousands of Brodiaea elegans are getting ready to bloom. This season could be magical, I've never seen so many ready to bloom at one time in this way before.

The high country is getting free of snow and my ankle is well enough. Where will next week take me?

[Robert]

Another plant we enjoy is Salvia clevelandii, a Southern California native.

I had to share this plant as it thrives in our dry heat and during hot weather the foliage has a divine fragrance!