Hillside walk, 02 March 2013
This was a warm Saturday afternoon, around 80 degrees F. Parts of the hillside are looking dry, but with the warmth several new species are in bloom.
I've been looking for blue dicks in the past few weeks, and this week they were at last in bloom. The steep north hillside has a number of small trees/shrubs that I wasn't familiar with, and it was a surprise to realize that a number of them are coffeeberry, Frangula californica, — clearly recognizable by the flowers, small, inconspicuous, but distinctive.
Ceanothus crassifolius, which a few weeks ago was so prominent, has now faded. In just one place in a shaded canyon are two speciments remaining with some white flowers.
Mountain mahogony has a short flowering season, and it's just starting.
This week was the first when poison oak was in widespread bloom.
