Welcome to the 30th Annual Wildflower Hotline, brought to you by the Theodore Payne Foundation, a non-profit nursery, seed source, book store, and education center dedicated to the preservation of wildflowers and native . This a report for June 1st, 2012, and the last report for the 2012 spring wildflower season. Ease into the rush of summer in the sun, graduations, weddings, vacation plans and visiting relatives. Take a peaceful hike and enjoy all that has to offer in the way of great hiking trails accompanied by spectacular blooming plants.

It’s sort of a late spring, early summer tradition among Angelenos to hike in the Santa Monica Mountains and take in the ocean views. The Grotto Trail at Circle X Ranch is a favorite hike. The fading of the "flower alley" just below the first waterfall along with the early first appearance of California fuchsia (Epilobium sp.) is a sign that summer is approaching. However, the late rains nudged many of the perennial shrubs into passing through a second bloom. Yellows are the colors of note right now spearheaded by the sunflowers (Helianthus sp.), bush monkey flower (Mimulus aurantiacus) and the golden yarrow (Eriophyllum confertiflorum). Other highlights include both greenbark (Ceanothus spinosus), and bigpod ceanothus (Ceanothus megacarpus) and yucca (Hesperoyucca whipplei). The colorful standards of coastal sage scrub habitat are looking nice as well—deerweed (Acmispon glabra), California buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum), elderberry (Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea), yellow monkey flower (Mimulus sp.), black sage (Salvia mellifera), a few chamise (Adenostoma fasciculatum), California everlasting (Pseudognaphalium sp.), elegant clarkia (Clarkia unguiculata), heart-leaved penstemon (Keckiella cordifolia), caterpillar phacelia (Phacelia cicutaria), California wild rose (Rosa californica), lance-leaved dudleya (Dudleya lanceolata), sticky tarplant (Centromadia sp.), woolly blue curls (Trichostema lanatum), Catalina mariposa lilies ( catalinae), golden stars (Bloomeria crocea), cliff aster (Malacothrix saxatile), and a nice display of humming bird sage (Salvia spathaceae) are all looking pretty spectacular.

Two beautiful bulb plants-golden stars (Bloomeria crocea) and Catalina mariposa lily (Calochortus calalinae). Photos by Michael Charters

In the Angeles National Forest along Angeles Crest Highway and Big and Little Tujunga Canyon Roads there are quite a few flowering chaparral species above 4,000 ft. The California buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum) is flashing its creamy blossoms over the slopes. From the road you can spot the big showy shrubs-—the bright yellow bush poppy (Dendromecon rigida), blue ceanothus (Ceanothus sp.), elderberry (Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea), bush monkey flower (Mimulus aurantiacus), honeysuckle (Lonicera sp.) and chaparral yucca (Hesperoyucca whipplei). To enjoy the other, colorful plants, you may have to get out of the car and hike around a bit. Along cliff faces, you see dudleya (Dudleya sp.) with its long flower stalks poking out of rocks and boulders. A lot of the paintbrush (Castilleja sp.) is found tucked around the buckwheat.

At Stough Canyon Nature Center in the Verdugo Mountains take an Memorial Day hike with the family and friends around Stough Canyon. Enjoy the bright pink elegant clarkia (Clarkia unguiculata), aptly named caterpillar phacelia (Phacelia cicutaria), monkeyflower (Mimulus aurantiacus), prickly phlox (Linanthus californicus), golden yarrow (Eriophyllum confertiflorum), lemonade berry (Rhus integrifolia), arroyo lupine (Lupinus succulentus), fragrant elderberry (Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea), and the prickly wild rose (Rosa californica).

Caterpillar Phacelia (Phacelia cicutaria var. hispida). Photo by Michael Charters

The best wildflower viewing this week at Placerita Canyon Natural Area is on the Canyon Trail. Despite the lack of rain, it was a pretty good year for wildflowers at Placerita. The rain was spread out over the winter and spring which helped along the perennial shrubs which you can enjoy while hiking. Sticky leaf monkey flower (Mimulus aurantiacus), California everlasting (Pseudognaphalium sp.), heart leaf penstemon (Keckiella cordifolia), and California rose (Rosa californica) are very showy now. Bush poppy (Dendromecon rigida) is fading just as, farewell-to- spring (Clarkia sp.), wooly blue curls (Trichostema lanatum), and yuccas (Hesperoyucca whipplei) are starting to peak. The butterfly Mariposa lilies (Calochortus sp.) and caterpillar phacelia (Phacelia cicutaria) are spotted about where annulas like to hang out. The honeysuckle (Lonicera sp.), chamise (Adenostema fasciculata), Yerba Santa (Eriodictyon sp.), black sage (Salvia mellifera), purple sage (Salvia leucophylla) and elderberry (Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea) are boldly showing their colors as well.

The Cedar Spings Trail from Garner Valley up to the desert divide overlook in the San Jacinto Mountains offers up a beautiful hike now. The Cedar Springs trail is reached by driving the paved Morris Ranch Road north from SR74. The trailhead area has two lovely penstemons in full bloom, (Penstemon centranthifolius) and Penstemon spectabilis). Much of the trail is covered by golden yarrow (Eriophyllum confertiflorum) in full bloom. The golden yarrow and penstemons produce spectacular colorful displays together. Other species that are noteworthy include spearleaf mountain dandelion (Agoseris retrorsa), both in bloom and in beautiful puff-ball fruit, lots of California cobwebby thistle (Cirsium occidentale var. californicum), chaparral false bindweed (Calystegia occidentalis var. fulcrata), desert Yerba Santa (Eriodictyon crassifolium), apricot mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua), white margined oxytheca (Oxytheca emarginata), Parry’s larkspur (Delphinium parryi), Coulter’s snapdragon (Antirrhinum coulterianum), wavy leaf paintbrush (Castilleja applegatei), wide-throated monkeyflower (Mimulus brevipes), and the spectacular Munz’s mariposa lily (Calochortus palmeri var. munzii). The PCTsouth of the top of the Cedar Springs Trail has the following species in full bloom, each with many plants: mountain bush lupine (Lupinus excubitus var. austromontanus), Mojave sandwort (Arenaria macradenia), mountain phlox (Phlox austromontana), Palmer’s ceanothus (Ceanothus palmeri), and pumice alpinegold (Hulsea vestita var. callicarpha).

Munz’s mariposa lily (Calochortus palmeri var. munzii). Photo by Michael Charters

The golden eardrops (Dicentra chrysantha) and bright yellow golden yarrow (Eriophyllum confertiflorum) greet you cheerfully as you drive along Clinton Keith Rd. to the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve. The bush monkeyflower (Mimulus aurantiacus) and white sage (Salvia apiana) are very showy among the rocks and boulders. The thread leaf brodiaea (Brodiaea filifolia) up on the clay flats, and the splendid mariposa lily (Calochortus splendens) are fading along the trails, but the bush lupine (Lupinus excubitus var. hallii) and chaparral yucca (Hesperoyucca whipplei) are stand outs throughout the preserve. White whorled lupine (Lupinus microcarpus var. microcarpus), strigose lotus (Acmispon strigosus), and slender madia (Madia garcilis) are now decorating trail sides, but the wildest newcomers this week include Hookers evening primrose (Oenothera elata ssp. hirsutissima), mustang mint (Monradella lanceolata), Southern Indian pink (Silene laciniata ssp. major) and the crazy pink Canchalagua (Zeltnera venusata).

Canchalagua (Zeltnera venusata). Photo by Michael Charters

In southern Orange County, the splendid mariposa lily (Calochortus splendens) is still in flower in the foothills surrounding Trabuco Canyon. In the same place, often side-by-side with Calochortus splendens, is the pretty little Weed’s mariposa lily (Calochortus weedii var. intermedius) just beginning to flower. Native grasslands actually had a good year in some places. Purple needle grass (Stipa pulchra) and foothill needle grass (Stipa lepida) both flowered abundantly and are still in flower in some moister grasslands. The winecup clarkia (Clarkia purpurea) is now coming into bloom in those grasslands as well. Fingertip dudleya (Dudleya edulis) and many stemmed dudleya (Dudleya multicaulis) are just starting to come into flower in and near Caspers Wilderness Park. came into flower about a month ago and is still flowering in some places in and near the park. The very pretty red monkeyflower (Mimulus aurantiacus ssp. puniceus) and golden yarrow (Eriophyllum confertiflorum) are exploding everywhere! Slender sunflower (Helianthus gracilentus) is just coming into flower in the foothills surrounding Trabuco Canyon. Surprisingly, heart-leaf penstemon (Keckiella cordifolia) has just started to flower near Riley and Caspers Wilderness Parks, and in the Trabuco Canyon area; it's usually spent by now. Again, evidence that the late rains over the spring benefitted the perennial shrubs; and thank goodness or it would have been a disastrous year for flower watchers.

Weed’s mariposa lily (Calochortus weedii var. intermedius). Photo by Michael Charters

The area surrounding Hobo Canyon (near Aliso Creek Canyon) in South Laguna has goodly number of blooming plants still in bloom. Wildflowers include golden star (Bloomeria crocea), Mariposa lily (Calochortus splendens), paintbrush (Castilleja affinis), Turkish rugging (Chorizanthe staticoides), California sunflower (Encelia californica), sapphire woolly-star, (Eriastrum sapphirinum), golden yarrow (Eriophyllum confertifolium), gum plant (Grindelia camporum), chick lupine (Lupinus microcarpus), bush monkeyflower (Mimulus aurantiacus), osmadenia (Osmadenia tenella), and blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium bellum). Other specialty plants unique to the southern maritime chaparral are bigberry California lilac (Ceanothus megacarpus), bush rue (Cneoridium dumosum), summer holly (Comarostaphylis diversifolia), western dichondra (Dichondra occidentalis), and spiny redberry (Rhamnus crocea). Sounds like a very cool collection of plants to check out.

An early summer visit to Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, is recommended for all who can’t get enough of what California’s spectacular parks have to offer. Along Highway 198, the California buckeye (Aesculus californica) is in full bloom and absolutely awesome with its long spikes of creamy pink flowers decorating every branch. Also in full bloom, and adding multiple shades of golden yellow to the landscape, are California flannel bush (Fremontodendron californicum), bush poppy (Dendromecon rigida), elegant madia (Madia elegans), and bush monkeyflower (Mimulus aurantiacus). Shooting upward along the slopes are the tall spires of white flowers of the chaparral yucca (Hesperoyucca whipplei). If you are lucky enough to be visiting the Giant Forest or General Grant Grove in Sequoia, the Western dogwood (Cornus nuttalii) is showing off its large white and elegant flowers which are in stunning contrast to the rich bronze and green of the giant conifers.

If you have enjoyed the Hotline reports this season, give a big thanks to the Theodore Payne Foundation for sponsoring this great resource for wildflower viewers and amateur botanists. Visit TPF in Sun Valley and explore their garden of native delights. Still blooming are: burgundy desert willow (Chilopsis linearis 'Burgandy'), incensio (Encelia farinosa), coastal cholla (Opuntia prolifera), San Antonia Hills monardella (Monardella antonina), Hooker's evening primrose (Oenothera elata ssp. hookeri), canyon sunflower (Venegasia carpesioides), Eleanor monkeyflower (Mimulus 'Eleanor'), salsa monkeyflower (Mimulus 'Salsa'), white sage (Salvia apiana), Vicki Romo sage (Salvia 'Vicki Romo'), showy penstemon (Penstemon spectabils), and the real show piece of all of these beauties—the Matilija poppy( Romneya coulteri). Visit the sales nursery too because it is hard to resist taking one of these lovely plants home with you.

That’s a wrap for the 2012 wildflower season. Check the TPF website in the early spring 2013 for new reports NATIVE PLANT & WILDFLOWER EVENTS: CNPS- Santa Monica Mountains Chapter Tuesday, June 12, 7:30 - 9:00pm. Lecture: Wild By Nature: Sowing Seeds for Spring Wildflowers. Presenter: Genevieve Arnold. Genevieve Arnold is the Seed Program Manager for Theodore Payne Foundation. For more information, go to www.lasmmcnps.org