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Wildflowers and Sightseeing Birding/Ethics/Hiking & Biking/Horseback Riding/ Hunting/Tours/ Wildflowers April 14, 2008It's rather unbelievable, but we still have flowers. The goldfields are pretty much dried up, but we still have Tidytips and Phacelia, as well as fields of Fiddleneck along Soda Lake Road and around the Education Center. Check out the California Poppies and the Lupine between the Washburn Ranch Administration site and KCL Campground. Also, behind KCL Campground, above Selby Campground, and in the Caliente Range are a myriad of "higher elevation" flowers like: Bush Lupine, Golden Bush, Blue Dicks, Poppies, Desert Candle, Blazing Stars, and Stink Bells. Don't wait too long though, it's supposed to be in the high 80's over the weekend. March 29, 2008The flowers on the southern half of the Carrizo Plain National Monument are drying out. The northern half of the monument did not start blooming as early and is continuing to do well. The higher elevations are still showing Golden Bush, Bush Lupine, some California Poppies, Blue Dicks, dwarfed Owl's Clover, and some Hillside Daisies. Patches of Phacelia still grace the monument, both on the floor and along the foothills. We are hoping for some rain to extend the blooms we have now. March 23, 2008The carpets of goldfields have been developing from Traver Ranch north to Soda Lake. Phacelia are blooming across Soda Lake Road from the Education Center. More Hillside Daisies are on the Temblor range, and Tidy Tips are beginning to show up along Soda lake Road from KCL Campground to the Education Center. California Poppies are looking good behind, and to the west of KCL Campground. Fields of Fiddleneck all over. Selby Campground has some California Poppies, Phacelia, Hillside Daisies, Golden Bush and Bush Lupine. A few Blue Dicks and Blazing Stars were seen above Selby Campground on the Caliente range. We continue to have small pockets of Baby Blue Eyes, as well as Phacelia at Overlook Hill. March 21, 2008Gold in the hills. We are getting more goldfields each day. More carpets of goldfields are developing on the valley floor, as well as Hillside Daisies showing on the Temblor range on the east side of the monument and the hills behind the Education Center. If one looks closely they will see Baby Blue Eyes on Overlook Hill at the north entrance. Still not a lot of variety, however the Caliente Mountain range has some Shooting Stars, Blue Dicks, Bush Lupine, and Golden Bush. These varieties are scattered and not in big displays. March 14, 2008 Portions of the Carrizo Plain valley floor are beginning to fill in with carpets of flowers. The first blooms of the season tend to be yellow and this year is no exception. This is an unusually good year for tropidocarpum, a tiny, yellow flower that in most years goes unnoticed. Along with tropidocarpum are goldfields, a flower with a truly appropriate name. Goldfields are beginning to fill in the spaces between shrubs near Soda Lake which will make for a nice walk on the boardwalk. Expect to see blue dicks and popcorn flower in the same area. It’s a little too early to tell how much recurved larkspur will bloom down by the Lake. Plants for the white (gypsum-loving) larkspur are showing up all over and should be blooming in a few weeks. Unfortunately this does not appear to be a very good year for baby blue-eyes but a few are blooming at the base of Overlook Hill. Baby blue-eyes and other flowers on Overlook Hill are best viewed from the top or bottom. Please do not walk down the face of the hill. A drive on Simmler Road should reveal hillside daisies, tidy tips and others. Watch for hillside daisies to be opening soon along Selby Road. Further in the foothills on that same road, look for the large bush lupine already in bloom and smelling wonderful! Another common flower that is in bloom and can be anywhere on the valley floor is fiddleneck, another accurate descriptive name. Along Panorama Road, visitors can take a look at a really nice carpet of a tiny, pale yellow flower called Jared’s peppergrass. This plant is very fragile and is best viewed from the road. There are Bush Lupine and Interior Golden Bush blooming at the Selby Campground. Near the southern end of the valley floor, large expanses of hillside daisies are just beginning to open up. These are easily visible from Soda Lake Road. A recent hike into the foothills found lots of phacelia still in bud. If weather conditions remain favorable, they will be a nice contrast to the many yellow flowers. As always, flowers are lagging behind on the south end of the Monument due to the higher elevations. Expect flowers in the mountains to be blooming later as well. One of the first flowers visitors will notice while driving along Soda Lake Road even at the south end, are clumps of green with yellow flowers dotting the landscape, these are loco weed/rattle bush plants in bloom. This is a common plant found on the Monument. It’s in the pea family and will form inflated seed pods that when dry will rattle when blown by the wind. Overall the landscape continues to be a soft, velvety green making a beautiful backdrop for colorful flowers. Watch for poppies, lupines, evening primrose, blue dicks, owl’s clover, pincushion flower, filaree, larkspur and others to hopefully be opening soon.
As always, there are many factors, including temperature, rainfall and the timing of the two that determine which flowers bloom and their distribution in any given season. Every year is not spectacular and only a few flowers may prevail in some years.
The Goodwin Education Center offers weekend tours in April and May to Soda Lake and Painted Rock, allowing the visitor to learn about wildflowers and other fascinating features on the Carrizo Plain. Please call in advance for reservations as space is limited. For sightseeing on your own, please be aware that most roads are unpaved and automotive services (including gas), are a long distance away. Also be aware of natural dangers such as rattlesnakes which are commonly found on the Carrizo Plain and as always, take only pictures and leave only footprints. A preliminary list of plants found on the Carrizo Plain is available at this website. It may also be purchased at the Education Center. The Education Center also has photographs of many of the wildflowers to help you answer "What kind of flower is that?" LINKSWildflower Photos Page 1 Wildflower Hotline
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