Hillside walk, 26 May 2018
This was a lovely day for walking across the hillsides. A great joy to see this week is the substantial number of golden stars (Bloomeria crocea), located in just one spot under an oak tree at the bottom of the north hillside.
More noticeable to the casual observer are the masses of bush monkey flower (Diplacus aurantiacus), in many locations on the hillsides, mainly in the canyons. The blue elderberry (Sambucus nigra subsp. caerulea) is less obvious but is even more ubiquitous, and with a long blooming season.
Last week's survey took place on a very wet morning, not actual rain but a very heavy mist that resulted in 4.5 mm of rain recorded by our weather station. This moisture has had noticeable impact. For example, California suncup (Camissoniopsis bistorta) at the bottom of the north hillside is suddenly present in significant numbers on flourishing plants rather than the few flowers on withering plants of the previous weeks.
There are also signs of things to come. At the bottom of the north hillside, clustered tarplant (Deinandra fasciculata) is busily growing up and developing buds. It should be blooming within a few weeks. And in a number of places the chaparral yucca (Hesperoyucca whipplei) has flower spikes developing, currently being about half way to their full height. Only the one yuccas plant is currently blooming, as mentioned last week, along Lida Street, and it's probably blooming early because of its perilous location at the edge of the asphalt roadway.
Golden yarrow (Eriophyllum confertiflorum) is so seldom evident on the hillsides. This week it is in bloom about half way up the Lida Street hill.
