Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Toro Park, Part II - Wildflowers

Here are the promised wildflower photos from my hike in Toro Park last Friday. As I said in my last post, my camera was on the wrong setting and many of the photos were too washed out to post, and many of the ones that I am posting have lost a fair amount of detail. I've tried to identify them as specifically as I can but some of them aren't so easy to pin down. There were a number of Ceanothus varieties growing and blooming on the mountain but I've not tried to identify them specifically.


Sisyrinchium bellum
Blue Eyed Grass

Pholistoma membranaceum
White Fiesta Flower

Solanum xanti
Chaparral Nightshade

Castilleja affinis
Indian Paintbrush

Saxifraga californica
California Saxifrage

Lupine, possibly Lupinus nanus

Annual Lupine

Pedicularis densiflora
Indian Warrior

Closer view of Indian Warrior

Manzanita

Ribes speciosum
Fuchsia-flowered Gooseberry

Ceanothus


Ceanothus

Ceanothus

Zigadenus fremontii
Fremont's Death Camas

Manzanita fruit

Manzanita blossoms pillaged by insects

Helianthemum scoparium?
Broom or Peak Rush-Rose
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7 comments:

  1. AnonymousMarch 25, 2009 at 11:48 AM

    Your flowers are wonderful and the pictures you take of them are great!!!

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  2. chaiselongueMarch 25, 2009 at 2:11 PM

    These are beautiful. Are they all wild? We have two varieties of ceanothus growing in the garden and broom grows wild here, but I don't recognise any of the others. Thanks for showing the pictures.

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  3. AnonymousMarch 25, 2009 at 2:17 PM

    What an incredible array! I can almost smell the ceanothus - were the bees just going nuts? Ours don't bloom until much later here, of course. I have one and always look forward to it and try to remember to pass by and take at least one big whiff every day! Thanks for sharing these, it really made me want to go for a hike there someday!

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  4. MichelleMarch 25, 2009 at 4:52 PM

    Thanks RainGardener!

    Chaiselongue, they are all wild and native to the area. Thanks for stopping by!

    Karen, there were actually very few honey bees on the mountain, but I did see a number of other insects feasting on the Ceanothus, most of which I didn't recognize.

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  5. AnonymousMarch 25, 2009 at 5:02 PM

    I can't get close to my Ceanothus because they have 100's of bees on both - one on each side of the end of the driveway. My husband has to get the mail because I won't go near them! Ok so I'm a bit of a wus. LOL

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  6. Town MouseMarch 26, 2009 at 7:51 AM

    Amazing! I have to get out this weekend, can't believe I spent last Sunday inside (at a garden show, no less). Thanks for the inspiring photos. Toro part sounds great!

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  7. MichelleMarch 26, 2009 at 8:13 AM

    RainGardener, the Ceanothus in my garden in my garden is buzzing with insects, though the bees seem to prefer the rosemary. I guess the Ceanothus up on the mountain were too far from honey bee hives to get many visitors.

    Town Mouse, It looks like this weekend will be a good one for getting outside! The wildflowers are putting on a pretty good show this spring, certainly better than last year. Toro was nice, although I think the lower part of the hike would be too hot for me on a summer day.

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