This page contains observations from 7 January 2001 to 23 May 2001.
January observations: January 7, Vernal Pool Trail, Punta Mesa Trail, Monument Road, Trans Preserve Trail.
Plants in bloom:
The bloom is just about as sparse as it ever gets, awaiting the winter rains to begin the cycle again.
- Beginning: white-flowering currant, wild cucumber.
- Full: mustard, mule fat, everlasting.
- Ending: (none).
- Ended: (none).
February 14-26 observations: Vernal Pool Trail, Ranch Road, Lomas Trail, Los Santos Trail, Adobe Loop Trail, Monument Road, Trans Preserve Trail, Clinton Keith Road.
Plants in bloom:
The bloom is picking up a bit, with several new species beginning to bloom every week, but is still quite sparse. There are 14 species in the beginning phase, with only a relatively few plants beginning to bloom. For comparison, there were 47 species in full bloom in mid-April last year.
- Beginning: California buttercup, checkerbloom, white-flowering currant, wild cucumber, California everlasting, redstem filaree, locoweed, bush lupine, morning glory, lomatium, mustard, California poppy, sanicle, wishbone bush.
- Full: arroyo willow, hoaryleaf ceanothus, gray linear-leaf everlasting.
- Ending: mule fat.
- Ended: toyon berries.
March 1-11 observations: Vernal Pool Trail, Ranch Road, Lomas Trail, Los Santos Trail, Coyote Trail, Hidden Valley Road, Monument Road, Trans Preserve Trail, Granite Loop Trail, Clinton Keith Road.
Plants in bloom:
The bloom is picking up a bit, with several new species beginning to bloom every week, but is still quite sparse. There are 14 species in the beginning phase, many with only a relatively few plants beginning to bloom, and 9 species in full bloom. For comparison, there were 47 species in full bloom in mid-April last year.
- Beginning: blennosperma (similar to goldfields), blue dicks, California buttercup, checkerbloom, wild cucumber, California everlasting, johnny-jump-up, bush lupine, miner's lettuce, morning glory, mustard, California poppy, shooting star, wishbone bush.
- Full: hoaryleaf ceanothus (only on Clinton Keith Road), white-flowering currant, gray linear-leaf everlasting, redstem filaree, locoweed, lomatium, milkmaids, sanicle, arroyo willow.
- Ending: (none).
- Ended: mule fat.
March 13-18 observations: 13, 16, 18 March on Vernal Pool Trail, Ranch Road, Monument Road, Punta Mesa Trail, Trans Preserve Trail, Multiuse Trail, Waterline Road.
Plants in bloom:
The current bloom is improving rapidly. New species are blooming every few days, and the first fields of flowers are present (yellow blennosperma near the Pool and shooting stars at the beginning of the Punta Mesa Trail). There are currently 20 species just beginning to bloom and 13 species in full bloom, compared to 47 species in full bloom in mid-April last year. Peak bloom may occur in mid-April, the same time as last year, everywhere except at the Main Pool, and late-May at the Main Pool.
- Beginning: blennosperma (similar to goldfields), checkerbloom, chocolate lilies, common crytantha (similar to short popcorn flower), blue dicks, California buttercup, hoaryleaf ceanothus, wild cucumber, California everlasting, johnny-jump-up, bush lupine, morning glory, mustard, ground pinks, California poppy, redmaids, black sage, shooting star, sugarbush, wishbone bush.
- Full: white-flowering currant, gray linear-leaf everlasting, two-tone everlasting, redstem filaree, locoweed, lomatium, mission manzanita, true manzanita, milkmaids, miner's lettuce, pineapple weed, sanicle, arroyo willow.
- Ending: (none).
- Ended: (none since latest observations below).
20 March - 4 April observations: 20, 23, 27, 30 March and 4 April on Vernal Pool Trail, Ranch Road, Waterline Road, Vista Grande Trail, Faultline Road, Multiuse Trail, Trans Preserve Trail, Los Santos Trail.
Plants in bloom:
The current bloom is very close to its peak overall, with many showy species at their peak. In most places, it is difficult to look around and not find patches of color due to showy flowers. The grasslands have johnny-jump-ups, California buttercups and blue dicks sprinkled lavishly throughout.
Best displays:
- Hundreds of acres of hoaryleaf ceanothus along Clinton Keith and nearly the entire Multiuse Trail. You can drive along Clinton Keith Road to see the amazing display, but a hike along the Multiuse Trail will be an experience you will long remember.
- Yellow patches of blennosperma and goldfields, and pink patches of ground pinks on the Vernal Pool Trail;
- Fields of shooting stars nearly everywhere you look on the Mesa de Colorado and the grasslands.
- Fields of over several hundred chocolate lilies just below the edge of the Mesa de Colorado of each of the Los Santos, Trans Preserve and Vernal Pool Trail. Around 1,000 chocolate lilies are blooming alongside trails in the Reserve, far more than last year.
- The burn area along Waterline / Monument Hill Roads is covered with blue dicks and shooting stars, with several hundred chocolate lilies in two patches.
There are currently 24 species beginning to bloom and another 24 species in full bloom, compared to 47 species in full bloom in mid-April last year. Peak bloom may occur in mid-April, the same time as last year, everywhere except at the Main Pool, and late-May at the Main Pool.
List of Plants in Bloom:
- Beginning: baby blue eyes, brass buttons, checkerbloom, California everlasting, gray linear-leaf everlasting, two-tone everlasting, eucrypta, bush monkeyflower, purple nightshade, fiddleneck, bush lupine, dwarf lupine, phacelia sp., Engelmann's prickly pear, morning glory, muilla, mustard, owl's clover, purple needle grass, smooth cat's ear, wild pea, black sage, sun cup, wishbone bush.
- Full: blue dicks, California buttercup, hoaryleaf ceanothus, chocolate lilies, bur-clover, common cryptantha, California poppy, goldfields, ground pinks, johnny-jump-up, locoweed, lomatium, miner's lettuce, wild sorrel, pineapple weed, popcorn flower sp., yellow sanicle, purple sanicle, redmaids, scrub oak, shepherd's purse, shooting star, sugarbush, spoked fringe pod (seeds).
- Ending: blennosperma, redstem filaree, milkmaids, Eastwood manzanita, mission manzanita, wild cucumber.
- Ended: white-flowering currant.
4-14 April Observations: 4, 8, 11 and 14 April on Vernal Pool Trail, Ranch Road, Waterline Road, Vista Grande Trail, Faultline Road, Monument Hill Road, Multiuse Trail, Trans Preserve Trail, Los Santos Trail, Punta Mesa Trail, Coyote Trail, Tenaja Road, Hidden Valley Road.
Plants in bloom:
The current bloom is now at its peak overall, with many showy species at their peak. In most places, it is difficult to look around and not find patches of color due to showy flowers. The grasslands have johnny-jump-ups, California buttercups and blue dicks sprinkled lavishly throughout.
Best displays:
- Yellow patches of blennosperma and goldfields, and pink patches of ground pinks on the Vernal Pool Trail (peak was ~4/8);
- Fields of shooting stars nearly everywhere you look on the Mesa de Colorado, and some along the Coyote Trail. (peak was ~4/11; the show in the grasslands is mostly over.)
- Fields of over several hundred chocolate lilies just below the edge of the Mesa de Colorado of each of the Los Santos, Trans Preserve and Vernal Pool Trail. Around 1,000 chocolate lilies are finishing their bloom there. (peak was ~4/4; the weekend of 4/14 will be the last to see them.)
- The burn area along Waterline / Monument Hill Roads is covered with blue dicks, forming carpets of blue/purple, drained by rivers of yellow California buttercups and white red-skinned onion. (peak for the blue dicks was ~4/8; the chocolate lilies are finished there.)
There are currently 35 species not yet at full bloom, another 30 species in full bloom, and 6 species ending their bloom. Peak bloom is probably now, about the same time as last year, everywhere except at the Main Pool. Peak bloom at the Main Pool may occur in early June.
List of Plants in Bloom:
- Beginning: baby blue eyes, bedstraw, blue-eyed grass, brass buttons, catchfly, gray linear-leaf everlasting, two-tone everlasting, prickly pear, checkerbloom, California everlasting, eucrypta, lotus sp., mission manzanita (red berries), bush monkeyflower, purple nightshade, bush lupine, dwarf lupine, common phacelia, morning glory, muilla, mustard, red-skinned onion, owl's clover, short popcorn flower at pools, purple needle grass, smooth cat's ear, wild pea, black sage, squaw bush, sun cup, tomcat clover, vetch, wishbone bush, yerba santa, chaparral yucca.
- Full: blue dicks, California buttercup, coast live oak, bur-clover, Crete weed, common cryptantha, California peony, California poppy, Engelmann oak, goldfields, ground pinks, johnny-jump-up, Ramona lilac, locoweed, lomatium, miner's lettuce, wild sorrel, pineapple weed, popcorn flower sp., hollyleaf redberry, Pacific sanicle, yellow sanicle, purple sanicle, redmaids, scrub oak, shepherd's purse (seeds), shining peppergrass (seeds), shooting star, sugarbush, spoked fringe pod (seeds).
- Ending: blennosperma, chocolate lilies, fiddleneck, hoaryleaf ceanothus, redstem filaree, wild cucumber.
- Ended: white-flowering currant, Eastwood manzanita, mission manzanita, milkmaids.
17-26 April observations: 17, 20, 23 and 26 April on Vernal Pool, Los Santos, Trans Preserve, Vista Grande and Granite Loop Trails; Faultline, Monument Hill, Hidden Valley, Tenaja and Waterline Roads.
Plants in bloom:
The current bloom is now at its peak overall, despite some showy species being past their peak. In most places, it is difficult to look around and not find patches of color due to showy flowers. The grasslands have blue-eyed grass, California buttercups and blue dicks sprinkled lavishly throughout, with a few fields of California poppies.
Best displays:
- Blue patches of blue-eyed grass on the Vernal Pool, Trans Preserve, and Los Santos Trails, along Faultline and Hidden Valley Road, and probably elsewhere as well (the display is now at its peak)
- Purple and white patches of owl's clover along the Vernal Pool Trail and behind the Visitor's Center (peak may yet be to come);
- The burn area along Waterline / Monument Hill Roads is covered with blue dicks, forming carpets of blue/purple, drained by rivers of yellow California buttercups and white red-skinned onion. (peak for the blue dicks was ~4/8. The blue dicks should last a long time, but annual grasses are making the display less stunning with time.)
- Yellow patches of goldfields, and pink patches of ground pinks on the Vernal Pool Trail and along Avocado Mesa Road (peak was ~4/22);
There are currently 39 species not yet at full bloom, another 41 species in full bloom, 15 species ending their bloom, and 5 species that are finished blooming. After a lull in early April, we are now back to having nearly two new species bloom every day! Peak bloom is probably now, about the same time as last year, everywhere except at the Main Pool. Peak bloom at the Main Pool may occur in mid-June, depending on when it dries up.
List of Plants in Bloom (names with question marks following are probable identifications that haven't been confirmed yet):
- Beginning: baby blue eyes, bee plant, brass buttons, threadleaved brodiaea, Chinese houses, cinquefoil, tomcat clover, yellow clover, two other unknown clovers(?), gray linear-leaf everlasting, two-tone everlasting, a single fiesta flower vine, a single prickly pear, checkerbloom, California everlasting, cut-leaved geranium, mission manzanita (red berries), bush lupine, morning glory, mustard, hedge mustard, owl's clover, common phacelia, poison oak, purple needle grass, redberry (flowers), black sage, squaw bush, spike rush(?), sun cup, elk thistle, vetch, wishbone bush, yerba santa, wild snapdragon, blue toadflax, (unknown much-branched pool plant with small yellow blossom), (unknown low vine growing in shade along vp trail) .
- Full: angel's gilia(?), bedstraw, blue dicks, blue-eyed grass, common catchfly, chickweed, coast live oak, bur-clover, Crete weed, common cryptantha, California poppy, Engelmann oak, eucrypta, goldentop, goldfields, ground pinks, Ramona lilac, locoweed, lotus sp., dwarf lupine, bush monkeyflower, muilla, red-skinned onion, wild pea, pineapple weed, popcorn flower sp., short popcorn flower at pools, purple nightshade, hollyleaf redberry (flowers), redmaids, Pacific sanicle, scarlet pimpernel, scrub oak, shepherd's purse (seeds), shining peppergrass (seeds), smooth cat's ear, wild sorrel, spoked fringe pod (seeds), sow thistle, chaparral yucca (Our Lord's Candle), (unknown short matted plant along Hidden Valley Road).
- Ending: California buttercup, hoaryleaf ceanothus, chocolate lilies (last ten blooms along Los Santos Trail), wild cucumber, fiddleneck, redstem filaree, johnny-jump-up, lomatium, miner's lettuce, California peony, yellow sanicle, purple sanicle, shooting star, sugarbush, (unknown carrot family on Trans Preserve Trail).
- Ended: blennosperma, white-flowering currant, Eastwood manzanita, mission manzanita (flowers), milkmaids.
28 April - 10 May observations: 28 April; 2, 6 and 10 May on Vernal Pool, Los Santos, Multiuse, Trans Preserve, Coyote and Adobe Loop Trails.
Plants in bloom:
The current bloom is now well past its peak overall, with annual grasses obscuring many of the flowers in most of the Reserve. The best displays are over, but there are still new beautiful species coming into bloom every few days.
Best displays:
- The infrequent groups of bush lupine scattered around the Reserve.
- Many displays of purple vetch that burst into bloom ~1 May.
- The row of hybrid ceanothus at the Adobes.
New species beginning bloom recently (dates are when I first observed them):
- 10 May: earth brodiaea, winecup clarkia, Spanish clover.
- 6 May: splendid mariposa lily.
- 2 May: blue larkspur, white globe lily (fairy lantern), narrow-leaved bedstraw, slender madia, {unknown small lupine with red-brown banner, white-purple keel}, golden yarrow.
- 28 April: downingia.
There are currently 11 species not yet at full bloom, another 48 species in full bloom, 35 species ending their bloom, and 22 species that are finished blooming. The overall bloom is well past its peak everywhere except at the Main Pool. Peak bloom at the Main Pool may occur in mid-June.
Small popcorn flowers cover nearly all of the vernal pool, with the lovely blue downingia beginning to bloom along most of the boardwalk. Threadleaved brodiaea is in full bloom near the pool.
List of Plants in Bloom:
- Beginning: earth brodiaea, cinquefoil, winecup clarkia, Spanish clover, downingia, gray linear-leaf everlasting, two-tone everlasting, cut-leaved geranium, common lomatium (seeds), slender madia, golden yarrow.
- Full: bedstraw, bee plant, narrow-leaved bedstraw, black sage, brass buttons, threadleaved brodiaea, wild Canterbury bells, chickweed, Chinese houses, yellow clover, Crete weed, California everlasting, fairy lantern (white globe lily), blue larkspur, lotus sp., bush lupine, Coulter's lupine, {unknown small lupine with red-brown banner, white-purple keel}, mission manzanita (red and black berries), splendid mariposa lily, bush monkeyflower, morning glory, mustard, hedge mustard, common phacelia, pineapple weed, short popcorn flower at pools, a single prickly pear, miniature evening primrose, purple nightshade, scarlet pimpernel, purple needle grass, redberry (flowers), shepherd's purse (seeds), shining peppergrass (seeds), a single wild snapdragon, wild sorrel, spike rush, spoked fringe pod (seeds), elk thistle, sow thistle, sun cup, blue toadflax, vetch, wishbone bush, yerba santa, chaparral yucca (Our Lord's Candle), water crowfoot.
- Ending: angel's gilia, baby blue eyes, blue dicks, blue-eyed grass, California buttercup, California poppy, common catchfly (windmill pink), checkerbloom, bur-clover, two other unknown clovers, common cryptantha, eucrypta, fiddleneck, a single fiesta flower vine, redstem filaree, goldentop, Ramona lilac, locoweed, common lomatium (flowers), dwarf lupine, miner's lettuce, muilla, wild pea, poison oak, popcorn flower sp., hollyleaf redberry (flowers), red-skinned onion, owl's clover (two species), redmaids, Pacific sanicle, yellow sanicle, purple sanicle, smooth cat's ear.
- Ended: balloon clover, blennosperma, hoaryleaf ceanothus, chocolate lilies, wild cucumber, white-flowering currant, goldfields, ground pinks, johnny-jump-up, Eastwood manzanita, mission manzanita (flowers), milkmaids, California sweet cicely, coast live oak, Engelmann oak, scrub oak, California peony, shooting star, squaw bush, sugarbush, (unknown low vine growing in shade along VP trail), (unknown short matted plant along Hidden Valley Road).
10-23 May observations: 10, 14, 18 and 23 May on Vernal Pool, Los Santos, Multiuse, Trans Preserve, Coyote, Punta Mesa, Lomas, Granite Loop and Adobe Loop Trails; Faultline, Waterline and Tenaja Roads.
Plants in bloom:
The current bloom is now well past its peak overall, with annual grasses obscuring many of the flowers in most of the Reserve. The best displays are over, but there are still new beautiful species coming into bloom every few days, and almost 100 different species of flowers in bloom.
Best displays:
- The downingia at the Main Vernal Pool.
New species beginning bloom recently (dates are when I first observed them):
- 23 May: three spot, slender tarweed
- 18 May: California buckwheat, chamise, deerweed, lanceleaf dudleya, elderberry, horehound, hollyleaf redberry (green berries), golden stars (yellow star lily), wild heliotrope, foothill penstemon, rattlesnake weed (chamaesyce), white sage, Maltese star thistle, sugarbush (pink fruit).
- 14 May: rattlesnake weed (daucus), woolly marbles?, silver puffs, wild honeysuckle, multiflowered lotus, dodder, linanthus sp.?, cobwebby (purple) thistle, narrow-leaf filago, leafy daisy (fleabane).
There are currently 23 species not yet at full bloom, another 26 species in full bloom, 37 species ending their bloom, and 53 species that are finished blooming. The overall bloom is well past its peak everywhere except at the Main Pool, which is now at its peak.
Small popcorn flowers cover nearly all of the vernal pool, with the lovely blue downingia producing patches of color and a pleasant smell along the boardwalk. Threadleaved brodiaea is ending its bloom near the pool.
List of Plants in Bloom:
- Beginning: California buckwheat, chamise, leafy daisy, deerweed, dodder (stem), elderberry, gray linear-leaf everlasting, two-tone everlasting, wild heliotrope, hollyleaf redberry (green berries), wild honeysuckle, linanthus sp.?, multiflowered lotus, foothill penstemon, prickly pear, rattlesnake weed (chamaesyce), slender madia, white sage, Maltese star thistle, slender tarweed, cobwebby (purple) thistle, three spot, (woolly marbles?).
- Full: bee plant, black sage, earth brodiaea, Spanish clover, yellow clover, downingia, lanceleaf dudleya, California everlasting, narrow-leaf filago, golden stars (yellow star lily), horehound, blue larkspur, common lomatium (seeds), arroyo lupine, collar lupine, white-whorled lupine, mission manzanita (red and black berries), morning glory, pineapple weed, rattlesnake weed (daucus), purple needle grass, redberry (flowers), spike rush, sugarbush (pink fruit), yerba santa, golden yarrow.
- Ending: angel's gilia, narrow-leaved bedstraw, brass buttons, threadleaved brodiaea, California poppy, Chinese houses, cinquefoil, winecup clarkia, bur-clover, tree clover, an unknown clover, common cryptantha, fairy lantern (white globe lily), redstem filaree, cut-leaved geranium, goldentop, lotus sp., bush lupine, Coulter's lupine, splendid mariposa lily, bush monkeyflower, mustard, hedge mustard, scarlet pimpernel, popcorn flower sp., short popcorn flower at pools, purple nightshade, hollyleaf redberry (flowers), sand spurrey, silver puffs, smooth cat's ear, elk thistle, sow thistle, vetch, water crowfoot, windmill pink (common catchfly), chaparral yucca (Our Lord's Candle).
- Ended: baby blue eyes, balloon clover, bedstraw, blennosperma, blue dicks, blue-eyed grass, California buttercup, wild Canterbury bells, hoaryleaf ceanothus, checkerbloom, chocolate lilies, Crete weed, wild cucumber, white-flowering currant, eucrypta, fiddleneck, fiesta flower, goldfields, ground pinks, johnny-jump-up, Ramona lilac, locoweed, common lomatium (flowers), dwarf lupine, Eastwood manzanita, mission manzanita (flowers), milkmaids, miner's lettuce, California sweet cicely, muilla, coast live oak, Engelmann oak, scrub oak, poison oak, red-skinned onion, owl's clover (two species), wild pea, California peony, common phacelia, Pacific sanicle, purple sanicle, yellow sanicle, redmaids, shepherd's purse (seeds), shining peppergrass (seeds), shooting star, wild sorrel, spoked fringe pod (seeds), squaw bush, sugarbush (flowers), blue toadflax, (unknown low vine growing in shade along VP trail).
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Copyright © 2000-2003 by Tom Chester and Jane Strong.
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Updated 27 January 2003.
