Bulbs and other wildflowers - Northern California 2014

[Robert]

Improved photographs of Salvia clevelandii. 

[Robert]

The 40c weather is here. With the heat, it will not be long until the monsoon season starts in the Sierras with thunderstorms in the mountains and sometimes rain showers down into the Sierra Foothills and the Sacramento Valley.

Today I returned to the Traverve Creek - Bear Creek area. Despite the heat and dry weather there is still much in bloom.

Allium sanbornii and Brodiaea elegans are some of the late blooming bulbs in this area.

This year there are masses of Brodiaea elegans everywhere. It is very beautiful.

[Robert]

In the serpentine barrens Brodieae purdyi is blooming everywhere (difficult not to step on them!). They are quite dwarf, thriving in the serpentine rock where the grasses can not grow.

It is nice to see so many Calochortus superbus. A favorite of mine.

Castilleja applegatei adds some bright color throughout this natural garden.

[Robert]

I enjoy scent in our home garden - both flowers and foliage.

The foliage of Monardella has a strong mint-like fragrance and colorful flowers. I have not keyed this one out yet, but who ever it is, its scent fills the area during hot weather, like today.

Penstemon heterophyllus is another late bloomer. The good forms are very showy and have a good compact growth habit.

I think that the last plant is Eriogonum tripodum. I know that it grows in this area but I will have to key it out to make sure. Who ever it is they look good.

I'm glad to be back on my feet again!

[Robert]

For the first time this season I was able to visit the high country, an hour drive from the farm.

It is clearly a dry season as the trail that is generally flowing with snow melt in June, is moist but with no flowing water. The sand flats are already very dry.

Eriogonum marifolium, very common in this area, was blooming all over the dry rocky flats.

I found this nice Calypridium umbellatum.

[Robert]

Also in the dry rocky flats:

Allium campanulatum is generally common in this area. This season I saw few.

There were many Triteleia ixioides with some Mimulus breweri. This monkeyflower is tiny but can put on a good show when there is more moisture.

Eriophyllum lanatum is tough and does not seem to mind the dry weather.

[Robert]

The tiny Lewisia triphylla grows in the sand flats with Lewisia nevadensis. Lewisia nevadensis can put on a good show and was looking good today.

Delphinium nuttallianum grows in the flats where there is a bit more moisture. This year they were very stunted, growing half, to a quarter, their normal size.

This was the season for the Calochortus nudus / minimus complex. There were masses of them everywhere. I'll have more on this subject. One could find a gradation from C. nudus to C. minimus. They were all very different from each other.

I found this one Calochortus with 7 flowers on the plant.

[Robert]

In moist areas grows Ranunculus alismifolius. It has small flowers, however where there are masses it is showy.

Senecio integerrimus grows in the rocky, dry areas, with Valeriana californica. It looks good with the butterfly.  And there seems to always be many butterflies in this area.

In the dry shade I found a few Viola bakeri. Small, but a very sweet little viola.

[Robert]

In moist areas grows Camassia quamash. A very showy native bulb. In another area, I know of meadows where they grow by the thousands. The bears seem to like this area too.

Mertensia ciliata likes moisture too, but also seems to be where the ground is rocky.

Nemophila maculata grows everwhere along the trail. Along with Castilleja minata, which is just getting started.

I found this nice Arnica. I will have to ID it. 

[Robert]

I enjoy the color of the Hackelia. In a good season, they bloom throughout the forest. It is a great sight!

And lastly, Penstemon newberryi.

I hope that you have enoyed! 

[David Nicholson]

Many thanks Robert. Lovely to see Lewisia triphylla in the wild which I doubt is in cultivation in the UK. Interesting that my L. nevadensis are way over.

Then I got to the bears!!!!! Do you need to take a gun with you on your hikes?

[Robert]

Many thanks Robert. Lovely to see Lewisia triphylla in the wild which I doubt is in cultivation in the UK. Interesting that my L. nevadensis are way over.

Then I got to the bears!!!!! Do you need to take a gun with you on your hikes?

Oh, never a gun! 

In this same area I came across Mama Bear and her Cubs. Not a good situation, however it all turned out okay. I backed up, then made a lot of noise as I moved around them at a good distance. Other than that, I like seeing the bears, mountain lions, and other wild life.

[Robert]

Back to Traverse Creek this week. Things are very dry and hot, 35-40c almost every day now. I do enjoy the scent of the chaparral during the heat of the day.

A few scenes of the area.

[Robert]

Traverse Creek is still flowing. With 3 years of severe drought it may be dry by September. I hope not - there are trout that live in the creek.

Oak pine forest is the dominant forest type in this area, mainly Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa) and California Black Oak (Quercus kelloggi) but with many other species mixed in.

In the serpentine areas of Traverse Creek California Gray Pine (Pinus sabiniana) is dominant.

Some other common shrubs of serpentine:

Quercus durata - a shrub oak of about 2 meters in height.

Rhamnus californica - Coffee Berry

[Robert]

More shrubs common to the serpentine:

Ceanothus cuneatus - Buckbrush Yes, the deer do eat it.

Heteromeles arbutifolia - Toyon or Christmas Berry The red berries are beautiful during the wintertime.

Arctostaphylos viscida - White-leaf Manzanita Generally the bark peels to reveal a chestnut inner bark. On this one the inner bark is tan, not a very common feature.