Clintonia andrewsiana
Galium aparine
Achillea millefolium
Stachys rigida quercetorum
Matricaria discoidea
Drymocallis glandulosa
NEW
– Andrew’s Clinton is blooming in the Weedon Redwoods. With its large glossy leaves and rich pink flowers, this lily is the brightest ornament of the redwood understory. Look for it along the Eagle Trail or above LaVerne opposite Stolte Grove.
– Cleavers grows throughout the forests. It clings when you touch it.
– Orange azalea is in full bloom in the formal gardens of Three Groves. Spring has truly arrived when this beauty is in full flower.
– Pineappleweed is growing in the middle of Lattie Lane fire road.
– Hedgenettle, a native mint with mauve blossoms is one of the most common plants in Homestead. It’s blooming in the wood.
– Sticky cinquefoil is blooming on Homestead Hill.
– Yarrow, one of the great medicinal herbs for blood, is blooming up on Homestead Hill.
Forest Edges
– Bugle – starting – in Three Groves.
– Cowparsnip – peaking.
– Crimson columbine – peaking – along the trail below Amaranth, along the Homestead Trail and in the woods near 7a.
– Douglas Iris – peaking – with white and various shades of purple blooms are popping up all over.
– French and Scotch Broom – peaking – are bright with their yellow flowers. These are some of the most aggressive invasives here. Pull it if you can, cut off the flowers so it can’t go to seed. Do whatever you can to combat its advance.
– Hawthorne, a non-native, – peaking – covered in flowers on the Homestead Trail.
– Manroots or Wild Cucumber – peaking – native vine with white flowers that is blooming all over.
– Woodland star – peaking – on the Ridgewood Rock. This rock, the location of our next broom clearing effort, is the only place I have seen this flower.
– Woodland strawberry – peaking – is blooming at the edge of the forest.
– Checker Lily – fading. This spectacular lily can still be found below Amaranth and on the Ridgewood rock.
– False Solomon Seal – fading – all along the edge of the bay forest along the Homestead Trail.
– Fringe cup – fading – near the creek below Amaranth and just past the last house on LaVerne.
– Indian Warrior – fading – in a large patch on the Homestead Trail at 9j (we cleared this hill of broom last October so the flowers will be on display as never before this spring).
– Milkmaids – fading. This is a member of the mustard/radish family (edible).
– Spring Gold – fading – I have only found blooming on the Ridgewood rock.
– Wooly lomatium – fading – on the Ridgewood Rock.
Meadows
– California Blackberry – starting – all over the Land Trust in sunny places.
– California poppies – starting – in the full sun on Kerouac Hill and on the ridge above 4-Corners.
– Flax – starting – a delicate non-native, is blooming in full sun on the Homestead Trail.
– Lupine – starting – purple in the full sun up on the ridge.
– Mule’s Ears – starting – on Kerouac hill and in a big patch on Homestead Hill.
– Shepherd’s needle – starting – this non-native is lacy white beside the trail.
– Blue Dicks – peaking – in big patches above Lattie Ln on the ridge trail, on the 4-Corners side of Homestead Hill, near the Ridgewood bench and on the Ridgewood Rock.
– Buttercups – peaking – yellow in the meadows.
– Checkerbloom – peaking – up on the ridge.
– Filaree – peaking – this non-native’s small pink flower is blooming all over Kerouac Hill.
– Footsteps of spring – peaking – along the trail up on the ridge.
– Ground Iris – peaking – with purple blooms all over.
– Morning glory’s – peaking – white trumpet flower can be seen poking out of the grass in meadows and on Kerouac Hill.
– Oakland Star Tulip – peaking – in the meadows of Homestead.
– Sun cups – peaking – on the ridge and in sunny meadows.
– Purple sanicle – fading – below Amaranth, along the Homestead Trail and on Kerouac Hill.
Wet Places
– Calla lily’s – peaking – large white blooms are in the wet places.
– Horsetail – peaking – these primeval silica based plants are growing creeksides.
– Miner’s lettuce – peaking – with its little white flowers are blooming where it is wet.
– Three cornered leek – peaking, the invasive onion, is flowering in boggy places.
Mixed Bay / Oak Forests
– Fairy Bells – starting – will bloom for months. Flower bells hang under the leaves and are usually impossible to see from our vantage, so turn over the leaves and peak underneath.
– Figwort – starting – I love this flower, it’s like nothing else. Find it along the paths in the woods. Foliage is like nettle but with a dark stalk. A friend to insects, it’s a host to butterfly larvae and a strong bee attractant.
– Pacific sanicle – starting – with its rich foliage and unspectacular little yellow flower is along trails through the forest, blooming on the spur trail up to 4-Corners.
– Star flower – starting – this lovely little pink flower hovers over its bed of leaves. Forest floors where you find Trillium, False Solomon’s seal and Wood rose are where you find Star flower.
– Swordfern – starting – that has been looking all brown with its thrips infestation is coming green again with new growth.
– Thimbleberry – starting – on the Homestead Trail and near the creek below Amaranth.
– Canyon gooseberry – peaking – has beautiful Chinese lantern flowers. It is blooming at the mouth of the Maverick trail within sight of the road.
– Coralroot, the red orchid, – peaking – in the forest leaf litter.
– Giant trillium – peaking – in the woods.
– Hazelnut bushes – peaking – budding out with new growth.
– Mountain Sweet Cicely – peaking – can be found blooming in the woods with small white flowers and long seeds. The fresh seed pods are sweet.
– Wood rose – fading – in the woods below the Ridgewood Rock and along the Eagle Trail.
Key to map:
I haven’t located Bay, Chickweed, California and Himalayan Blackberry, Manroots, Swordfern, Cleavers, French or Scotch Broom on the map as they are so prolific. Milkmaids and Iris are also blooming in many more locations than are noted on the map.
Flowers that are finished have been removed from the map and are greyed out in the map key.
Gallery of wildflowers and plants found in Homestead.
Share this: