2017 - Robert's botanical adventures in Northern California

[Robert]

A great find was this yellow form of Castilleja foliolosa. Occasionally, I will encounter forms with orange bracts, however this is the first time I have found the yellow bract form.



Higher on the hill in a dry rocky meadow I found a small colony of Mimulus douglasii in bloom. Each long corolla tube opens abruptly with large magenta upper lobes and smaller lower lobes. This tiny annual species is quite showy. The flowers are often larger than the remaining above ground parts of the plant.



The annual Polemoniaceae, Collomia diversifolia, grew in open rocky areas between taller chaparral shrubs. The plants are quite small, however both the foliage and flowers are quite attractive. Collomia species are delightful and I have had considerable success with them in our garden.



The find of the day was Lomatium hooveri. From a rosette of dissected fern-like gray foliage rose umbels of purple flowers. The scarious bractlets contrasted boldly with the flowers. The blooming plants were quite striking growing on the north face of an open rocky slope.



Near the end of the day I climbed to the top of a rock outcropping (1,952 feet, 595 meters) and took my last photograph. I had used all the memory in my camera!

Sadly before the day ended, I encountered additional blooming species: Allium, Delphinium, Fritillaria, and others. I guess this is a good reason to upgrade my camera and a good excuse to return to this area (like I really need one!). I also missed Fritillaria pluriflora. I will have to try again next year.

Exploring the hill country above Bear Valley was the most productive and interesting part of my outing. The car botany in Bear Valley was not for me. Next time I return to this area I hope to press westward to the extremely remote Yuki Wilderness.

Until next time……

[David Nicholson]

It looks a lovely area Robert

[Robert]

It looks a lovely area Robert

Yes, it was indeed very beautiful!

More cows than humans in Bear Valley. 

The following may be of interest to you.



A number of years ago I gathered seed of a Penstemon species I found growing in Mono County, California (the east side of the Sierra Nevada). I had no idea as to its identity. It was autumn and I there was only foliage to examine. Tentatively I used the name Penstemon grinnellii aff. when I shared some seed with a few forumist. This Penstemon started blooming in our garden a few days ago and I can now give its correct name, Penstemon deustus var. pedicellatus. I guess I did okay with the tentative name considering I only had foliage to examine.    At least I had the subgenus correct.

[Robert]

I tried to go out to Poho Ridge yesterday and was greeted by this sign. The road was closed before it dropped down into the American River canyon. I am glad that I am checking on conditions now. Many mountain roads are likely to be closed this spring until they can be repaired.



One sign was not enough. Given the foolishness that goes on I'm surprised they didn't have an armed guard.    Unfortunately, I was not in a position to hike down the road. I often find many interesting plant when I walk a closed road.



It is still very early in the season at this elevation. Arctostaphylos viscida ssp. mariposa, an early bloomer, is still in bloom.



The California Black Oaks, Quercus kelloggii, are just starting to leaf out.



More Quercus kelloggii.

[Robert]

I did have some time to poke-around and see what I might find.

Some other early bloomers are out. Primula (Dodecatheon) hendersonii are looking good.



Phlox speciosa well budded and ready to bloom.



Hosackia incana - A real beauty! (both flowers and foliage) So far it has been impossible for me to cultivate it in our garden. 



We have a saying locally that it "snows on the dogwoods". This morning I am sure it snowed on this dogwood. I was kinda' surprised to see it so far advanced. The flowers were only starting to open on most of the other dogwood trees in this area. In our Sacramento garden our Cornus nuttallii is at the same stage of flowering! 

[Hoy]

It is so beautiful, Robert!

All those exciting, colourful species  + the diverse foliage.

I can understand your frustration regarding fences - here it is common to place "gjerdeklyvere" where people want to cross fences - even on private land:

[Robert]

It is so beautiful, Robert!

All those exciting, colourful species  + the diverse foliage.

I can understand your frustration regarding fences - here it is common to place "gjerdeklyvere" where people want to cross fences - even on private land:

Trond,

I am very curious as to what goes on in a plant community. Private land and barbed wire can be very frustrating for me, however given the general disrespect of the land in California I can understand the position of the land owners. People even steal flowers out of our front yard garden in Sacramento! It is very sad.    I figure they are hurting souls and they need compassion, however the general disrespect does not help things at all. 

[Robert]

The spring blooming season is advancing quickly here in Northern California.



Stormy and relatively cold weather has returned.



This and the previous photograph were taken at 600 meters (about 2,000 feet) in El Dorado County yesterday.



Down the hill a few hundred meters there was no snow, however the rain and cloudy weather "dampened" the wildflower display. The deciduous trees are leafing out and the tapestry of greens on the hillsides is so very beautiful.



The wildflowers would have been beautiful to view, however many flowers were closed due to the rain and cloudy skies. Eschscholzia caespitosa with tightly closed flowers.



Lupinus albifrons is in full bloom now. The are spectacular! ...especially when found in large groups on the hillsides.

[Robert]

Silene laciniata ssp. californica is in bloom now. They can be found growing abundantly on partly shaded east and north facing slopes.



It will take a day of dry weather for the flowers to perk-up again.



Lupinus benthamii is one of a number of Lupinus species that are in bloom now.



In some locations there are large drifts of Pseudobahia heermannii in bloom.



They are generally found on sunny slopes. The colonies I observed were often mixed with Mimulus kelloggii and Lupinus bicolor. The mixture of color was fantastic!

[Robert]

In other areas Mimulus kelloggii grew in think colonies.



Their flowers are fairly small, however they can make quite the display when they are blooming in mass.



A typical hillside in the canyon of the South Fork of the American River in El Dorado County.



Dichelostemma capitatum

Of coarse, many of the geophytes are in bloom now.



Blue Dick, Dichelostemma capitatum, may be very common in our part of California, however they are so beautiful when they are blooming in large colonies or mixed with other wildflowers.

[Robert]

Some of the Calochortus are blooming now. Calochortus albus is generally white , however some can be found that are flushed pink. Hybrids are said to occur, however I have never seen any.



Calochortus monophyllus is low growing. They are generally found on rocky slopes where they are easily seen.



Triteleia ixioides ssp. scabra can be found both in sunny and partly shaded locations. In our Sacramento garden they will bloom for 4-5 weeks. 



In other area there are large patches of Layia pentachaeta ssp. pentachaeta in bloom.



Even Dudleya cymosa is starting to flower.

[Robert]

In sunny, rocky, waste areas Lomatium utriculatum thrives.

It appears that the stormy weather is going to continue for awhile. Cool weather will slow the wildflowers, however it will be difficult for me to get out as much as I would like to. There is so much action (wildflower) locally, right here in El Dorado County! I hope that I can get out to Traverse Creek. I am sure that it snowed there yesterday, however the snow should not last long.

[Hoy]

Very nice, Robert 

I especially like Mimulus kelloggii!

[Maggi Young]

I agree, the Mimulus kelloggii is lovely - but I'm a huge fan of the Californian poppies and I love them, even when they're closed!

[Robert]

I like our annual California native Mimulus species. Mimulus kelloggii has been the most difficult for me to keep going in the garden. The slugs ate them all this winter.    Mimulus guttatus grows in the ditch along the road up at the farm. All I do is transplant a few where it is moist and they do the rest. M. guttatus has worked well in the past in our Sacramento garden, however I didn't get any going this year. Mimulus bicolor is coming along in our Sacramento garden and they should be blooming soon! 

We have three Eschscholzia species that are native to El Dorado County (where the farm is located). They can be tricky to identify while in leaf, however they are easy to identify when flowering. E. californica has a collar that subtends the petals; E.caespitosa has cauline leaves; E. lobbii lacks cauline leaves. E. caespitosa and E. lobbii are annuals. I like them all and grow all of them in our Sacramento garden.