Bulbs and other wildflowers - Northern California 2014

[Robert]

Well into the dry season there are still some plants blooming.

Eriogonums are generally late bloomers and thrive in the heat.

Still a few Paintbrushes, Castilleja, before they dry-up.

Penstemon heterophyllus is a late bloomer with some flowers still coming on.

The only bulb I saw today was a few Brodiaea elegans.

California Poppies almost always the first to bloom in the spring and the last to finish in the summer heat.

[Robert]

Poison Oak - you do not want to run into this one!  Fall color and it is only 2 July.

[Maggi Young]

It is a treat to be shown the range of plantlife  there at this season. The risk of fire in such areas must be very great - a frightening prospect.

[Robert]

Maggi,

With 3 years of drought now and much standing timber, the wild fire danger is tremendous! There have already been a number of destructive fires, burning a few homes to the ground and the loss to nature. We are hoping we do not have a repeat of last year's Rim Fire.

Also, the streams and rivers are already low. The wildlife is showing up at the farm looking for water, which we provide. Even the mountain lions and bears are coming around. Normally they are very shy of humans, especially the mountain lions. It is very difficult for all the wildlife.

[Robert]

One nice thing about our farm is that it is a short drive to the high mountains. After working all day, I can sneak off to the higher areas where it is still green and lush. A paradise of wildflowers even in this drought year. The good news is that the Monsoon will be starting soon, maybe in a few days, bringing much needed rain to the high country.

The meadows are still green with many wildflowers.

Photo #2 - A meadow filled with Erigeron peregrinus - and many other little treasures.

Erigeron peregrinus is very common in the high country. It seem to do well in the garden at our farm too.

[Robert]

One of many treasures hidden in the meadows is Mimulus primuloides. A very sweet little gem that also does well in a tough for us.

Various species of Lupine are blooming everywhere in this area.

Spiraea densiflora brightens the edges of the meadows. I like it in our garden too.

[Robert]

In other areas there are columbine, Aquilegia formosa

various Paintbrushes, Castilleja miniata, one of a number of species.

and more Lupines.

I could spend days up there - no, a life time! 

I had only an hour or so to look around and there is so much to see and photograph (not enough time for everything  ). I first when to this site in 1960 and am still finding new plants today. I think that I could say the same thing a thousand years from now even if I went everyday. 

[Robert]

The monsoon season has been early and very strong this year. The Sierra is receiving much needed rainfall, sometimes to the point of flash floods.

After working the farm for the day, I decided to chase thunderstorms in the mountains.

Jenkinson Reservoir is our main source of drinking and irrigation water. It is good to see that it has a good amount of water still.

[Robert]

It was easy to get distracted with plants.

Eriogonum umbellatum and E. nudum were blooming side by side at one stop.

With Penstemon roezlii still in bloom.

[Robert]

At the headwaters of Camp Creek,

a nice stand of Rudbeckia californica

mixed with Lupinus polyphyllus.

Lotus corniculatus is not native to California. It has naturalized disturbed areas in parts of the Sierras.

A very short trip!

[Maggi Young]

Lotus corniculatus is a wildflower we are fond of here , Robert - I did not know it had naturalised in the USA - now I read that it is considered a nuisance in some states.  Learn something new every day.

[Robert]

Lotus corniculatus is a wildflower we are fond of here , Robert - I did not know it had naturalised in the USA - now I read that it is considered a nuisance in some states.  Learn something new every day.

I'm not sure that Lotus corniculatus is a problem in our area? It seems to act as a pioneer plant, growing in the most difficult areas, then gone as other plants grow.

I found these growing on an old logging deck where nothing else was growing. They looked good.

I read that they were not native but did not know where they came from. I sounds like the UK or Northern Europe? Yes, learn something every day!

Harvest season - off to the farmers' market.

[Maggi Young]

When I was investigating the distribution of the Lotus in the USA I found that it is not welcome in Minnesota :
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/terrestrialplants/herbaceous/birdsfoottrefoil.html

It does not seem to be harshly regarded in California and in some places it is used for stabilising areas prone to erosion.......
http://plants.usda.gov/factsheet/pdf/fs_loco6.pdf

http://www.fao.org/ag/agp/AGPC/doc/gbase/data/Pf000344.htm

[TheOnionMan]

Robert, I wish your pictures were bigger, they're all so small, just a smidge larger than the tiny thumbnail image.  It's too bad, because you're showing so many great plants, but only postage stamp size images.  They can be larger, example, here's a photo of Triteleia hyacinthina taken in my garden late May 2014, where one can see the detail of this exquisite species, up close and personal.

[Robert]

Robert, I wish your pictures were bigger, they're all so small, just a smidge larger than the tiny thumbnail image.  It's too bad, because you're showing so many great plants, but only postage stamp size images.  They can be larger, example, here's a photo of Triteleia hyacinthina taken in my garden late May 2014, where one can see the detail of this exquisite species, up close and personal.

Mark,

I completely agree with your statement!

This may seem hard to believe, but I confess that I am a neophyte to technology. Before this time, my wife and I lived somewhat like the Amish, and still do,to a degree. I enjoy this forum and am motivated to adjust and change as I learn more. For me there is a huge learning curve, even for things that you might find very simple. In addition, I'm working with out-dated, primitive equipment. Saying all of this, I will do the best I can to improve the photos. I have a very old camera, but it does take reasonably good quality photos considering its age and what it is. If this is a soft-ware problem, not much I can do right now.

Thanks for your feedback! I never would have known I could change the photo size unless you said something!