Buckeye
Aesculus californica

California everlasting
Pseudognaphalium californicum

California huckleberry
Vaccinium ovatum

Milkwort
Polygala californica

NEW
– Buckeye, these deciduous trees are along the streets and in Three Groves. Pause and examine the beautiful flowers.
– Huckleberry is 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.
– Milkwort is blooming along the Homestead Trail above the Madrone bench.
– Pearly everlasting, this wonderfully scented flower is blooming near the Ridgewood Rock and in the meadow below the Madrone bench.

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
– 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.
– Sticky cinquefoil – starting – on Homestead Hill and below Amaranth.
– 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
– California blackberry – starting – all over the Land Trust in sunny places.
– 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.
– 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 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.
– 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.

Gallery of wildflowers and plants found in Homestead.

Broadleaf hellebore*
Epipactis helleborine

California plantain
Plantago erecta

Hairy wood sorrel
Oxalis pilosa

Mock orange*
Philadelphus coronarius

Service berry
Amelanchier utahensis

Shortspur seablush
Plectritis congesta s brachystemon

Sky lupine
Lupinus nanus

Stinking iris*
Iris foetidissima

Tomcat clover
Trifolium willdenovii

Wintercress
Barbarea orthoceras

NEW
– California brome, a native grass, has yellow ‘blooms’.
– California plantain is up on the ridge. This tiny plant with its transparent disk flowers looks nothing like the non-native English plantain that is everywhere.
– Hairy wood sorrel.
– Hellebore is a non-native orchid that has done very well in our climate. Plant is small, flowers are very showy.
– Mock orange is blooming along the Stolte Grove entrance to Three Groves and smells heavenly!
– Service berry, a lovely native white flower blooming now on the Ridgewood Rock.
– Shortspur seablush, another lovely native white flower blooming now on the Ridgewood Rock.
– Sky lupine, this bright multicolored ground lupin is sprinkled in the grasses up on the ridge.
– Stinking iris, 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.
– Tomcat clover, a native clover, has been blooming for a few weeks on the Ridgewood Rock but I only just identified it.
– White hawkweed has started blooming along the Eagle Trail.
– Wintercress is blooming up on the ridge and along the Homestead trail.

Three Groves
– Bugle – starting – in Three Groves.
– Orange azalea – peaking – in the formal gardens of Three Groves. Spring has truly arrived when this beauty is in full flower.

Forest Edges
– Sticky cinquefoil – starting – on Homestead Hill and below Amaranth.
– Crimson columbine – peaking – along the trail below Amaranth, along the Homestead Trail and in the woods near 7a.
– 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.
– Douglas Iris – fading – with white and various shades of purple blooms are popping up all over.
– 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.
– Hawthorne, a non-native, – fading – covered in flowers on the Homestead Trail.
– 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).
– Manroots or Wild Cucumber – fading – native vine with white flowers that is blooming all over.
– Milkmaids – fading. This is a member of the mustard/radish family (edible).
– 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
– 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.
– Shepherd’s needle – starting – this non-native is lacy white beside the trail.
– Blue Dicks – peaking – a blue pop of color in the grasses.
– Buttercups – peaking – yellow in the meadows.
– Checkerbloom – peaking – up on the ridge.
– Cowparsnip – peaking.
– Filaree – peaking – this non-native’s small pink flower is blooming all over Kerouac Hill.
– Mule’s Ears – peaking – on Kerouac hill and in a big patch on Homestead Hill.
– 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.
– Ground Iris – fading – with purple blooms.
– Oakland Star Tulip – fading – in the meadows of Homestead.
– Purple sanicle – fading – below Amaranth, along the Homestead Trail and on Kerouac Hill.

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.
– Cleavers – starting – throughout the forests. It clings when you touch it. Also called bedstraw.
– 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.
– 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.
– Coralroot, the red orchid, – peaking – in the forest leaf litter.
– 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.
– 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.
– Canyon gooseberry – fading – has beautiful Chinese lantern flowers. It is blooming at the mouth of the Maverick trail within sight of the road.
– Giant trillium – fading – in the woods.
– 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.

Bugle
Ajuga reptans

Canyon gooseberry
Ribes menziesii

Flax*
Linum bienne

Shepherd's needle*
Scandix pecten-veneris

NEW
– Bugle is blooming in Three Groves.
– Canyon gooseberry has beautiful Chinese lantern flowers. It is blooming at the mouth of the Maverick trail within sight of the road.
– Flax, a delicate non-native, is blooming in full sun on the Homestead Trail.
– Shepherd’s needle, this non-native is lacy white beside the trail.

Forest Edges
– Cowparsnip – starting – in the woods below Amaranth.
– Crimson columbine – peaking – below the trail below Amaranth and below the trail at 7a on the map.
– Douglas Iris – peaking – with white and various shades of purple blooms are popping up all over.
– False Solomon Seal – peaking – all along the edge of the bay forest along the Homestead Trail.
– 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.
– Purple sanicle – peaking – below Amaranth, along the Homestead Trail and on Kerouac Hill.
– 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.
– 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.
– Lupine – starting – purple in the full sun up on the ridge.
– Mule’s Ears – starting – on Kerouac hill.
– 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.

Wet Places
– Calla lily’s – peaking – large white blooms are in the wet places.
– Horsetail’s asparagus-like spears – peaking – are emerging creeksides.
– Miner’s lettuce – peaking – with its little white flowers are blooming where it is wet.
– Three cornered leek – peaking, the invsive onion, is flowering in boggy places.

Mixed Bay / Oak Forests
– Coralroot, the red orchid, – starting – in the forest leaf litter.
– 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.
– 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, 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.

Crimson columbine
Aquilegia formosa

Giant trillium
Trillium chloropetalum

Hawthorn*
Crataegus monogyna

Pacific sanicle
Sanicula crassicaulis

Rosy sandcrocus*
Romulea rosea

NEW
– Pacific sanicle with its rich foliage and unspectacular little yellow flower is blooming on the spur trail going up to 4-corners.
– Crimson columbine bloomed right before the last rain. It lost its flowers in the storm but this sun should bring on more.
– Giant trillium is blooming in the woods.
– Hawthorne, a non-native, is covered in buds. The first few are blooming on a large tree on the Homestead Trail.
– Rosy sandcrocus, another non-native, is blooming on Kerouac Hill.

Forest Edges
– Coralroot, the red orchid, – starting – is blooming in the leaf litter at the large Indian warrior patch.
– Cowparsnip – starting – in the woods below Amaranth.
– Fringe cup – starting – near the creek below Amaranth and where the Maverick Trail meets Ridgewood.
– Douglas Iris, Ground Iris – peaking – with white and various shades of purple blooms are popping up all over.
– False Solomon Seal – peaking – is blooming all along the edge of the bay forest along the Homestead Trail. They are exploding with their little white flowers.
– 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.
– Manroots or Wild Cucumber – peaking – is a native vine with white flowers that is blooming all over.
– Oakland Star Tulip – peaking – is blooming near the Indian Warrior patch, above the Ridgewood bench and near Amaranth.
– Spring Gold – peaking – I have only found blooming on the Ridgewood rock.
– Woodland star – peaking – is blooming on the Ridgewood Rock. This rock, the location of our next broom clearing effort, is the only place I have seen this flower.
– Wooly lomatium – peaking – on the Ridgewood Rock.
– Purple sanicle – starting – is blooming below Amaranth and is coming elsewhere along the Homestead Trail.
– Woodland strawberry – starting – is blooming at the edge of the forest.
– Barberry – fading – is blooming below Amaranth and on the steep trail above the Indian Warrior.
– Checker Lily – fading. There was a hillside of it blooming below Amaranth between 4a and 9b on the map.
– Chickweed – fading. This non-native plant is from Europe and has a long history in folk medicine.
– Death Camas – fading – is blooming on the 4a to 9b hillside below Amaranth and along the overgrown trail down from 4-Corners. The entire plant is poisonous, hence the name.
– Indian Warrior – fading – is blooming 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).
– Pacific Hound’s Tongue – fading.
– Shooting Stars – fading – can be found blooming on the same 4a to 9b hillside as the Checker Lily below Amaranth and on the Ridgewood rock.
– Fetid Adder’s Tongue – finished – but still has the distinctive adder’s tongue-like seed pod. The plants are very distinctive with their opposing wing leaves mottled with red blotches.
– Saxifrage – finished – only found on the Ridgewood Rock, is finished.

Meadows
– California Blackberry – starting – is blooming all over the Land Trust in sunny places.
– California poppies – starting – are blooming in the full sun. On Kerouac Hill and on the ridge above 4-Corners.
– Mule’s Ears – starting – on Kerouac hill.
– Blue Dicks – peaking – is blooming in big patches above Lattie Ln on the ridge trail and on the 4-Corners side of Homestead Hill, near the Ridgewood bench and on the Ridgewood Rock.
– Buttercups – peaking – are blooming yellow in the meadows.
– Checkerbloom – peaking – is up on the ridge.
– Douglas Iris, Ground Iris – peaking – with white and various shades of purple blooms are popping up all over.
– Footsteps of spring – peaking – is blooming along the trail up on the ridge.
– Sun cups – peaking – are blooming on the ridge and in sunny meadows.

Wet Places
– Calla lily’s – starting – large white blooms are in the wet places.
– Horsetail’s asparagus-like spears – starting – are emerging creeksides.
– Three cornered leek – starting, the invsive onion, is flowering in boggy places.
– Miner’s lettuce – peaking – with its little white flowers are blooming where it is wet.

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.
– Hazelnut bushes – starting – are budding out with new growth.
– Mountain Sweet Cicely – starting – can be found blooming in the woods with small white flowers and long seeds. The fresh seed pods are sweet.
– 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.
– Wood rose – starting – in the woods below the Ridgewood Rock and along the Eagle Trail.
– Bay Laurel trees – fading – are blooming. These trees are everywhere around here. The blooms have a lovely vanilla scent.
– Trilium – fading. There are still a few blooms in shaded places.

Key to map:
I haven’t located Bay, Chickweed, California Blackberry, Manroots, Swordfern, French or Scotch Broom on the map as they are so prolific. Trillium, Pacific Hound’s Tongue, Milkmaids and Iris are also blooming in many more locations than are noted on the map.

Gallery of wildflowers and plants found in Homestead.