Winter Wonderland

Our coastal winter has not felt like winter at all, except for a brief nip in December.  Temperatures are in the seventies near the coast.  Plants are confused and blooming.  With the weather and some timely rains, the hiking is spectacular. I was healthy enough, finally, to join a group of hikers at Laguna Coast Wilderness Park This past Friday. The hills were lush and green after our rains, though the flowers required a careful hunt.

The only Ceanothus we saw was in the parking lot, but it was a nice one.

In my experience, white Ceanothus bloom earlier than blue.

The grass (mostly non-native) is green.
The sage scrub is growing, but so much dead brush remains from the drought, it still looks kind of grey.

The drought shows its effects by the many skeletons of shrubs and trees which were lost, partially or entirely.  But new life is popping up all around.

Sprouts at the center of a mostly-dead elderberry tree.

We were treated to a lush green, and a few tantalizing blooms.

Lemonadeberry is in flower (though not in my backyard.)
It is not usually a noteworthy flower.
Oddly, it seems to make a better show in shade.
This one was on a damp north bank on Laurel Canyon trail.

Meanwhile, on a ridge line, a few lemonadeberries were ripe already.  Go figure.

I had not met Ann and Shari, my hiking partners, before this.  Hiking is a great way to get to know people: their navigation skill, their energy level, but also, if we're not working too hard, all kinds of other things.  I supplied the plant identification, as I was able.

This little beauty along Willow Canyon Road appears to be Castilleja  affinis ssp. affinis
which Calflora lists as Wight's Indian Paintbrush, widely distributed through CA, blooming in June,
and Allen and Roberts list as Coastal Paintbrush, blooming March through May.
It has more slender petals than the Paintbrush of my youth in the Santa Cruz Hills.

The shine on this tiny California Buttercup is for real. 

In my yard, I am happy to see California Buttercups (Ranunculus californicus) growing from seed.  Unfortunately, so far they only have two leaves each.  On a north slope in Laurel Canyon, they were already blooming.  And a few more oddments were discovered.

One patch of lupine on a south-facing slope on Emerald Canyon Road.

Wild Cucumbers have the oddest fruit.
(They are the vines with small white flowers that blanket  bushes.)

I hope I get in lots more hikes this spring.  Let me know if you're going and I can tag along!

If you wish to subscribe to CA Native Garden blog, click here.
If you wish to use photos or text from this blog, click here.

To subscribe to this blog, click here.
To use text or photos from this blog, click here.
To share this post (do share!) click on the appropriate tiny icon below (email, facebook, etc.)