May 032016
 


NEW
We completed habitat restoration/broom abatement on the Ridgewood Rock this week. This rock and its face is home to over 25 different wildflowers as well as ferns, trees, shrubs and vines. At least 5 of the flowers are found no where else in Homestead. Once our piles of broom are cleared, all of this area will be available to the diversity that thrives here.
– Ocean spray, is starting to bloom on the Ridgewood Rock. Surprisingly to me, the bushes in the shadier areas are blooming first while the ones in full sun are still covered in buds. This shrub grows all around the Ridgewood Rock; without the broom, it should be spectacular when it’s all in bloom.
– Ithuriel’s spear, or Brodiaea is adding its blooms to the entrance of the Ridgewood Rock.

Three Groves
– Bugle – starting – in Three Groves.
– Mock orange – starting – along the Stolte Grove entrance to Three Groves and smells heavenly!
– Orange azalea – fading – in the formal gardens of Three Groves. Spring has truly arrived when this beauty is in full flower.

Forest Edges
– Buckeye – starting – these deciduous trees are along the streets and in Three Groves. Pause and examine the beautiful flowers.
– Milkwort – starting – blooming along the Homestead Trail above the Madrone bench.
– Sticky cinquefoil – starting – on Homestead Hill and below Amaranth.
– Yerba buena – starting – the tastiest plant in the Land Trust is blooming.
– 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.
– 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).
– Service berry – fading – a lovely native white flower blooming now on the Ridgewood Rock.
– Spring Gold – fading – I have only found blooming on the Ridgewood rock.
– Woodland strawberry – fading – is blooming at the edge of the forest.
– Wooly lomatium – fading – on the Ridgewood Rock.

Meadows
– Common catchfly – starting – with its little striped flower puffs, I find this flower so pretty. I saw it all over the place at Chimney Rock on Pt Reyes and was surprised to learn it is not native.
– Hairy wood sorrel – starting.
– Silver bush lupine – starting – purple in the full sun up on the ridge.
– Owl clover – starting – lovely bright colored clover blooming in the California plantain and catchfly area on the ridge.
– Pearly everlasting – starting – this wonderfully scented flower is blooming near the Ridgewood Rock and in the meadow below the Madrone bench.
– Purple salsify – starting – a very showy, large flower up on the ridge. Also not native.
– Shepherd’s needle – starting – this non-native is lacy white beside the trail.
– Spiny buttercup – starting – a fleshy, lush non-native with pretty yellow flowers is blooming up on the ridge.
– Blue Dicks – peaking – a blue pop of color in the grasses.
– Buttercups – peaking – yellow in the meadows.
– California blackberry – peaking – all over the Land Trust in sunny places.
– California plantain – peaking – up on the ridge. This tiny plant with its transparent disk flowers looks nothing like the non-native English plantain that is everywhere.
– California poppies – peaking – in the full sun on Kerouac Hill and on the ridge above 4-Corners.
– Checkerbloom – peaking – up on the ridge.
– Cowparsnip – peaking.
– Filaree – peaking – this non-native’s small pink flower is blooming all over Kerouac Hill.
– Flax – peaking – a delicate non-native, is blooming in full sun on the Homestead Trail.
– Mule’s Ears – peaking – on Kerouac hill and in a big patch on Homestead Hill.
– Shortspur seablush – peaking – another lovely native white flower blooming now on the Ridgewood Rock.
– Sky lupine – peaking – this bright multicolored ground lupin is sprinkled in the grasses up on the ridge.
– Yarrow – peaking – one of the great medicinal herbs for blood, is blooming in full sun.
– Morning glory’s – peaking – white trumpet flower can be seen poking out of the grass in meadows and on Kerouac Hill.
– Pineappleweed – peaking – in the middle of Lattie Lane fire road.
– Sun cups – peaking – on the ridge and in sunny meadows.
– Oakland Star Tulip – fading – in the meadows of Homestead.
– Purple sanicle – fading – below Amaranth, along the Homestead Trail and on Kerouac Hill.
– Tomcat clover – fading – a native clover, has been blooming for a few weeks on the Ridgewood Rock but I only just identified it.
– Wintercress – fading – up on the ridge and along the Homestead trail.

Wet Places
– Calla lily – peaking – large white blooms are in the wet places.
– Horsetail – peaking – these primeval silica based plants are growing creeksides.
– Three cornered leek – peaking, the invasive onion, is flowering in boggy places.
– Miner’s lettuce – fading – with its little white flowers are blooming where it is wet.

Forests
– Andrew’s Clinton – starting – 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.
– Hellebore – starting – a non-native orchid that has done very well in our climate. Plant is small, flowers are very showy.
– Huckleberry – starting – not very common in Homestead. The bushes we have don’t bloom very often which means their fruit yield is low. A few are blooming now along the Madrone Park Circle trail.
– 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.
– Thimbleberry – starting – on the Homestead Trail and near the creek below Amaranth.
– White hawkweed – starting – along the Eagle Trail.
– Coralroot, the red orchid, – peaking – in the forest leaf litter.
– Cleavers – peaking – throughout the forests. It clings when you touch it. Also called bedstraw.
– Fairy Bells – peaking – 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 – peaking – 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.
– Hazelnut bushes – peaking – are filled out with new growth.
– Hedgenettle – peaking – a native mint with mauve blossoms is one of the most common plants in Homestead.
– Mountain Sweet Cicely – peaking – can be found blooming in the woods with small white flowers and long seeds. The fresh seed pods are sweet.
– Pacific sanicle – peaking – with its rich foliage and unspectacular little yellow flower is along trails through the forest, blooming on the spur trail up to 4-Corners.
– Stinking iris – peaking – a non-native iris, is blooming in the redwoods below Amaranth. I will have to go back and smell it to see if it lives up to its name.
– Yellow coralroot – peaking – is blooming at the Indian warrior site.
– Giant trillium – fading – in the woods.

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.
Flowers that are finished have been removed from the map and are greyed out in the map key.

HVLT Trail Map 022315 v28w

Gallery of wildflowers and plants found in Homestead.

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