Mary and Graham

Hillside walk, 12 February 2018

A significant upsurge in the number of flowering species is the big observation this week. It's five weeks since the first and only big winter rain to date. Thus the question of whether we are now seeing the result of that rain, or whether it's just the emergence of normal spring flowers.

The big surprise this week is to find the coast live oaks (Quercus agrifolia) in full bloom everywhere; last week I saw no sign of this. The scrub oaks (Quercus sp.) are also beginning to bloom in most locations.

The four o'clock (Mirabilis laevis var. crassifolia) is now showing green growth all over the hillsides although I saw a few flowers on only one plant, plus plenty of flowers on the specimen in Canyon 8 that bloomed through the summer. The fuchsia-flowered gooseberry (Ribes speciosum), which appeared to be dead over much of the hillsides, is springing back to life with healthy new growth everywhere. Furthermore, it now has flowers in numerous locations. The ceanothus (Ceanothus crassifolius var. planus) has had blooms in Canyon 3 for the past few weeks, and now has blooms on multiple specimens on the north hillside; but in Canyon 5 it is still in bud. This week we have the first blooms of skunkbush (Rhus aromatica) at its usual location in Canyon 8. Also we have the first blooms of poison oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum) along Lida Street. The leaves of California primrose (Eulobus californicus) are now appearing on the lower north hillside; hopefully some of these will grow to produce flowers.