Wild Flower Hotline April 25, 2025

Since the report earlier this month, many more blooms have popped up at Casper’s Regional Park in Orange County. Along the Dick Loskotn Trail, look for patches of Catalina mariposa lilies in the grasslands, along with San Diego jewel flower and Padre’s shooting stars. Wild canterbury bells prefer sunnier slopes along with a few showy chaparral yucca. Not far from the West Ridge Trail boundary, you will find a large, blooming clematis vine. There are others nearby, but this one clematis is particularly grand with stunning flowers begging to be photographed. On the Starr Rise Trail, search for cute California golden violets growing in clumps low to the ground. Chaparral gilia, blue dicks, miniature lupine and popcorn flowers are fading but have some interesting seed pods still to show. Some huge chalk dudleya reside along the trail as well. There are spectacular vistas of Orange County’s wildlands as you ascend the ridges.

The word from recent visitors to the Santa Rosa Plateau in Riverside County is that annuals and geophytes are blooming nicely, and it is an excellent time to hike the trails! The Sylvan Meadows Trail and the Vernal Pools Trail are good places to see some iconic Plateau species. Various oaks have fresh new foliage and are in flower. They provide a lovely canopy along some pathways. The California peony is tucked near and under protective chaparral shrubs and are just starting to bloom. California golden violet, milkvetch, Southern checker bloom and great numbers of blue dicks can be found in open, sunny areas along trails. The regal Mission manzanita is past bloom, but just starting to go to fruit. Check out their bountiful bunches of copper-red berries.

A short, easy hike along the Pacific Crest Trail at Crowder Canyon in the busy Cajon Pass near Phelan, will delight you with an array of spring blooms. You will encounter a lovely mix of Mojave Desert and chaparral flowering perennials and annuals. Lots of ceanothus, are still in flower along with narrowleaf goldenbush and bush poppy, Fiddleneck, goldfields, chia, and phacelia are blooming, though somewhat patchy in occurrence. Also find decent numbers of baby blue eyes, miniature lupine, bajada lupine, Mojave Desert parsley, California butterweed, blazing stars, and blue dicks.