Where Southern California Wildflowers Are Blooming
As we've mentioned before, this spring is set to be an extraordinary one when it comes to Southern California's bountiful wildflower blooms. And according to the wildflower hotline at the Theodore Payne Foundation, it looks like that massive bloom is already here. Here's a quick rundown of where to see this year's batch of wildflowers:
According to the Payne Foundation, this is the "go to place for a while." Chocolate lilies are all over, while gooseberry, ground-pink, common goldfield, red skinned onion, purple owl's clover, wild hyacinth, and a whole bunch of other species are blooming all along the Pentachaeta Trail in Triunfo Canyon Park.
Along the Phantom Trail are purple nightshade, broad-leafed lupine, bush sunflower, greenback ceanothus, sticky phacelia, paintbrush, wishbone bush, and a few others. Near the ridge are blooms of owl's clover, red maids, caterpillar phacelia, and the beloved California golden poppies.
While the report says this "isn't a banner year" for the park, there are still plenty of blooms to enjoy. The southern part of Badwater Road has sand verbena, while Scotty's Castle Road has brown-eyed evening primrose, notch-leaf phacelia, golden evening primrose, and brittlebush.
Black Rock Campground is starting to bloom, particularly with the park's poppy, baby blue-eyes, and tidy-tips. Jumbo Rocks has pink blossoms, while towards the southern end of the the park the Chuparosa are blooming. Check out the park's weekly bloom report here.
Anza Borrego Desert State Park
In the Pinyon Ridge area near its western boundary are awash of yellow and gold blooms. Among the species are whispering bells, golden bush, Wallace's daisy, coreopsis, and goldfields.
Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve
Unfortunately, the story isn't so great here. Last weekend, many of the early-bloom poppies were "cooked away" by the recent heat wave. So, before heading out, be sure to check out the Reserve's Bloom Update to decide if it's worth a visit.