By David Powdrell
In the course of a lifetime, we get an occasional spectacular display of bright color, bold blooms, and blankets of natural beauty. Thanks to the significant level of rainfall this year, the wildflowers in Santa Barbara County are already putting on quite a show. Bold yellows, deep purples, electric oranges, and soft blues line the local bluffs and local trails.
California poppies, canyon sunflowers, evening primrose, lupine, prickly phlox, purple sage, woolly blue curls, bush poppies, deerweed, bush monkey flowers, and the elusive Humboldt Lily are in full force. Other previously dormant seeds are sprouting up too.
March to May is typically the best viewing window. With so many trails in our local foothills with varying levels of difficulty, I hope you’re able to get out and see some of the splendor. Keep an eye out for poison oak and poison ivy, watch for fallen trees, and stay on the marked trails, but catch this exciting display of natural beauty if you can.
There’s magic in rainwater.
David Powdrell – Co-author, “Wildflowers of the Santa Barbara Foothills” and “A Field Guide to Common Plants of Santa Barbara” with Hugh Margerum.
Humboldt Lily
Wild Iris
Cactus Flowers
Deerweed
Canyon Sunflower
Chalk Live Forever
Is Figueroa Mountain Rd open?
Fig Mtn road is open according to Los Padres Forest Watch:
https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/8a708ff13fc24d64b06a0a883e3139f9
But as a County Rd. it’s closed on Figueroa Mountain Rd. just past Ram Ranch and both entities agree that it’s closed from 1/2 way up Happy Canyon to McKinley Trail Head. All of the campgrounds are closed there by LPNF.
Good catch Tagdes … this county map shows the road is closed before the first hairpin:
https://www.countyofsb.org/2116/Road-Closures
Great photos Dave. I often see Canyon Sunflowers on the west side of Gaviota State Park (which is still closed). Didn’t know you had two books published:
https://www.amazon.com/Common-Barbara-Foothills-Southern-California/dp/0975404806
https://www.amazon.com/Wildflowers-Santa-Barbara-Foothills-Powdrell/dp/0975404814
That looks like a chia sage in your field guide. I call them “Space alien death stars” haha.
Hopefully, we’ll see. Thus far the hills may be too saturated. If it’ll be such a great year, it’ll be late. A lot of what I see this spring is pointing towards a delay.
Agreed, it’s wise to watch out for poison oak, but no need to worry about poison ivy when hiking our local trails — it doesn’t grow in California.
There’s no Poison ivy in CA.
Drove up to Fig Mountain Friday 3/24. Really too early as there wa
Any word on Caruso plains
The Miramar has lots of flowers, just not wildflowers.
And on another note, according to the BLM website, the Carrizo Plains Natl. Mon. has little to no wildflowers as of last week and it’s extremely muddy with several people getting stuck. Waiting for yesterday’s update.
Thanks so much for your beautiful photographs. I appreciate your reminder about poison oak…. I learned mugwort is a natural antidote to Poison Oak exposure you can scrunch up some leaves and rub a poultice onto the affected skin. Just don’t uproot the plant.
Carrizo plain has some flowers, bottom has many flowers next to lake area and hills just some slopes are yellow. All is very green. Soda Lake Road is just fine, and off road is fine too. 58/ 7 mile road intersection is closed.
Not a lot of flowers out there at the moment, still hasn’t warmed enough.