Hillside walk, 02 May 2017
With the season becoming warmer (days with temperature around 86F), seasonal blooms associated with warmer weather are appearing. On today's hillside walk this included the tiny white America lotus (Acmispon americanus var. americanus) along Lida Street, and on the west ridge the laurel sumac (Malosma laurina). But most spectacular this week is golden stars (Bloomeria crocea) at the bottom of the north hillside. Many plants of golden stars are in bloom, and they are at their peak, partly protected by the shade of an oak tree.
Some early spring bloom continues but in a limited form. For example, the four o'clock shrubs (Mirabilis laevis var. crassifolia) are almost all devoid of bloom, but a tiny handful of flowers persist on a few protected plant on the north hillside. Also, the California bluebells (Phacelia minor), which were so prominent until a few weeks ago, continue to have a substantial number of flowers, but they are much smaller than the earlier flowers.
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Golden stars |
California bluebells |
California bluebells |
Common muilla |
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Ropevine clematis |
American lotus |
Vasey's prickly pear |
Blue elderberry |