Early winter rains followed by multiple heat waves sped up the timeline of spring’s arrival in Los Angeles well ahead of its official start on Friday. Although that meant breaking out flip-flops and scheduling picnics earlier than normal, it has also dashed hopes of a superbloom in Southern California.
Superbloom or not, what’s blooming outside right now is stil visually spectacular and worth an Instagram post. Massive amounts of wildflowers can still be found across the region, says Katie Tilford, director of development and communications for the Theodore Payne Foundation in Sun Valley.
“It doesn’t have to be the extreme highest number possible of flowers blooming all at once to be enjoyed,” she says, noting that the term “superbloom” has no scientific definition and is “just a word people use.”
“All things considered, it’s still a great year for wildflowers when compared to drier years,” Tilford said.
For 43 years, the Theodore Payne Foundation’s Wildflower Hotline has compiled reports of wildflower hot spots, sharing weekly findings from March through May. The free service, narrated by podcaster Tom Henschel, lists publicly accessible wildflower viewing points in Southern and Central California.
“We want people to spread out and not all go to the most popular tourist destinations for flowers, so we’re hoping to share things that are maybe lesser known, but still worthy of being appreciated,” Tilford says.
There are plenty of spots to snag spectacular views and perfumed air, from Chino Hills, where the bright hues of redmaids (Calandrinia menziesii) pop from the hillsides, to the poppy clusters in the Santa Susana Mountains and the lupines and mariposa lilies nestled in the Santa Monica Mountains.
This year’s wildflower timeline has been arriving at different rates across Southern California with fleeting blooms subject to daily-changing weather events. Time of day is also important as certain flowers like the California poppies are sun sensitive, opening their petals only once the sun comes out in full force around midday.
Tilford advises making wildflower sojourns as soon as sightings come in. Check for the latest updated Wildflower Hotline — (818) 768-1802, extension 7 — report each Friday and visit citizen science sites such as iNaturalist for other sightings.
Remember to be a courteous visitor when viewing wildflowers. Don’t trample or pick the flowers and stay on the paths because even barren ground could have seeds germinating beneath. Flowers are things of beauty to humans, but don’t forget they are food, breeding and mating sources for smaller creatures. Also, those with insect phobias should consider this when planning a visit.
To date, here are the best spots to see wildflowers in Southern California.
Santa Monica Mountains
Numerous trails and parks in the Santa Monica Mountains have wildflower clusters right now, particularly California and fire poppies, lupines and mariposa lilies. Best visited early March to April; head to Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve in Woodland Hills, Topanga State Park, Fryman Canyon Park near Studio City and Malibu Creek State Park.
Altadena
After the Eaton fire, Altadena resident René Amy planted a quarter billion California poppy seeds across more than 750 properties in the area. Not all sprouted, but those that have are blooming the best in the subterranean burn scars of former homes, many of which are located high in the hills making them not easily viewable to the public. A drone would be your best bet to get stunning aerial views of Amy’s so-called Great Altadena Poppy Project efforts.
San Gabriel Valley
The northern portion of Irwindale’s Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area offers a spectacular view of the San Gabriel Mountains and a promising cropping of wildflowers along its paths, including ombre-colored linanthus, California suncups and blue dicks (which are actually purple).
Newhall/Santa Clarita
Towsley Canyon in Newhall, nestled in the Santa Susana Mountains just off the Golden State Freeway, and Placerita Canyon State Park, situated between the San Gabriel Mountains and Mojave Desert, are reliable spots to see California poppies and other common annuals.
Sun Valley
Wildflower Hill at the Theodore Payne Foundation Nursery is thriving with a few species of phacelia, including lavender-blue lacy phacelia and violet Canterbury bells. You’ll find the hill through the nursery to the right.
Puente Hills
Lupines, fiddlenecks and bush sunflowers, among other native wildflower species, are just starting to take off in the Puente Hills, particularly in Turnbull Canyon, Powder Canyon and on the Purple Sage Loop.
Thousand Oaks
Home to hundreds of different flowers, the hillsides of Conejo Open Space are covered in yellow monkeyflowers, lupine, California poppies and owl’s clover. The Aqiwo Trail and Wishbone Loop Trail are two strong options for seeing blooms.
Chino Hills
A premiere destination for wildflower viewing, Chino Hills State Park is host to wild hyacinth, poppies, Canterbury bells and redmaids through May.
Ventura
Spring is in full bloom at the 132-acre Arroyo Verde Park. With multiple trail options, the hillsides of this dried-up river valley are rife with vibrant blooms, particularly bush sunflowers and lacy phacelia.
Riverside County
Lake Elsinore’s Walker Canyon, a popular superbloom-viewing hot spot in recent years, is being outshined this season by Diamond Valley Lake in Hemet where California poppies, fiddlenecks, phacelia and stunning cobalt-hued baby blue eyes are coming up in large numbers mostly around the inner part of the lake.
Antelope Valley
Poppies are at their peak and viewable in and around the Antelope Valley California Poppy Preserve as well as at Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park. Many of the poppy fields are intermixed with fellow orange-hued filddlenecks, giving hillsides the appearance of a superbloom.
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Wildflowers started blooming here late last year and are mostly past their prime at lower elevations, including at popular viewing sites Henderson Canyon Road and Coyote Canyon. Head to higher elevations above 2,000 feet where there is more moisture to see slopes brightened with desert lily, sand verbena and flowering Orcutt’s woody aster.
Death Valley
Experiencing its best bloom year since 2016, Death Valley is best visited sooner rather than later particularly in lower elevations. Expect desert sunflowers, gold poppy, dandelion and a number of other small, low-to-the-ground flowers.
The post ‘It’s still a great year for wildflowers’: Where to catch colorful blooms around SoCal appeared first on Los Angeles Times.
