American speedwell
Veronica americana

California goldfields
Lasthenia californica

California plantain
Plantago erecta

Canyon nemophila
Nemophila heterophylla

Coast live oak
Quercus agrifolia

Cow parsnip
Heracleum maximum

Feathery false lily of the valley
Maianthemum racemosum

Field madder*
Sherardia arvensis

Fringe cups
Tellima grandiflora

Hill lotus
Acmispon parviflorus

Pacific sanicle
Sanicula crassicaulis

Pacific pea
Lathyrus vestitus var vestitus

Pigmy weed
Crassula connata

Shepherd's needle*
Scandix pecten-veneris

Shortspur seablush
Plectritis congesta s brachystemon

Tomcat clover
Trifolium willdenovii

Wintercress
Barbarea orthoceras

The rain continues and the flowers too. Early spring flowers like milkmaids, fritillaria and hounds tongue are still blooming. Iris, buttercups, starry false lily of the valley and our mariposa lily, Oakland star tulip, are peaking.

NEW

– American speedwell (Veronica americana) is blooming with delicate blue flowers in seeps.

– California goldfields (Lasthenia californica) grows in yellow carpets of small yellow flowers in meadows.

– California plantain (Plantago erecta) a very small plant with charming translucent flowers plays a large role in various insect’s lifecycles.

– Canyon nemophila (Nemophila heterophylla), also a small flower, grows in a spreading mat in wet areas.

– Coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia) our magnificent local oak is leafing out and blooming with tassels.

– Cow parsnip (Heracleum maximum) a large plant with dinnerplate-sized umbrellas of white flowers is blooming in meadows.

– Feathery false lily of the valley (Maianthemum racemosum) is blooming in forests with very fragrant white flowers.

– Field madder* (Sherardia arvensis), native to the Mediterranean basin, is blooming with small pink star flowers in meadows.

– Fringe cups (Tellima grandiflora) grows near creeks. Its distinctive fringeed flower turns from whitish green to pink when pollinated.

– Hill lotus (Acmispon parviflorus), a delicate plant with small pea flowers is blooming in meadows.

– Pacific sanicle (Sanicula crassicaulis) blooms with mustard-colored clusters over waxy maple leaf-shaped leaves.

– Pacific pea (Lathyrus vestitus var vestitus) blooms pale pink on vines that climb shrubs in the forest.

– Pigmy weed (Crassula connata) a very small succulent is blooming on rock faces.

– Shepherd’s needle* (Scandix pecten-veneris) native to Eurasia is blooming white in meadows.

– Shortspur seablush (Plectritis congesta s brachystemon) blooms blush pink with a clustered dome of flowers in meadows.

– Tomcat clover (Trifolium willdenovii) blooms purple in meadows.

– Wintercress (Barbarea orthoceras) with its yellow flowers is blooming at meadow’s edge.

* non-native

Gallery of wildflowers and plants found in Homestead.

Barberry
Berberis pinnata

Blue eyed grass
Sisyrinchium bellum

California poppy
Eschscholzia californica

Dwarf checkerbloom
Sidalcea malvaeflora

Figwort
Scrophularia californica

Hedgenettle
Stachys rigida quercetorum

Oakland star tulip
Calochortus umbellatus

Pacific bleeding heart
Dicentra formosa

NEW
– Barberry (Berberis pinnata) a small shrub with holly-like leaves is blooming with fragrant yellow flowers in meadows.

– Blue eyed grass (Sisyrinchium bellum), in the iris family, is blooming with rich purple flowers in meadows.

– California poppy (Eschscholzia californica0) our bright orange state flower is blooming in meadows.

– Dwarf checkerbloom (Sidalcea malvaeflora) is blooming pink in meadows.

– Figwort (Scrophularia californica) is blooming with burgundy flowers in forests.

– Hedgenettle (Stachys rigida quercetorum) a small foul smelling mint, is blooming with purple flowers in forests.

– Oakland star tulip (Calochortus umbellatus), one of Homestead’s rare plants, is blooming pale purple in meadows.

– Pacific bleeding heart (Dicentra formosa), in the poppy family, is blooming with pink heart flowers under redwoods.

Gallery of wildflowers and plants found in Homestead.

All the rain has brought lots of flowers out. Hound’s tongue and milkmaids are at meadow’s edge while footsteps of spring are up on the ridge, warrior plume’s large patch is still very colorful at 15 and trillium is in the canyons.

California buttercup
Ranunculus californicus

Douglas iris
Iris douglasiana

Fairy bells
Prosartes hookeri

Oso berry
Oemleria cerasiformis

Rooreh
Claytonia perfoliata

Suncups
Taraxia ovata

Wild cucumber
Marah fabacea

Woodland strawberry
Fragaria vesca

NEW
– California buttercup’s (Ranunculus californicus) glossy yellow flowers are starting to brighten meadows. They are one of the few wildflowers that will persist into the warm months when most other spring flowers have faded.

– Douglas iris (Iris douglasiana) blooms white or pale purple in forests. Ground iris’s dark purple blooms started a few weeks ago in ridgetop meadows.

– Fairy bells (Prosartes hookeri) is a forest wildflower. Small and multibranched, the flowers are often hidden below the leaves.

– Wild cucumber (Marah fabacea), this vine is climbing up from the forest floor with white flowers.

– Miner’s lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata) will bloom in wet seeps for as long as they’re wet. Edible.

– Oso berry (Oemleria cerasiformis) has flowers blooming white and fragrant as this shrub is leafing out.

– Suncups (Taraxia ovata), a yellow, four-petaled flower blooms in a rosette of leaves. It is the first wildflower this spring in South-facing meadows.

– Woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca), is blooming with white flowers under chaparral and at forest edges.

Gallery of wildflowers and plants found in Homestead.

California blackberry
Rubus ursinus

Footsteps of spring
Sanicula arctopoides

Fremont's deathcamas
Toxicoscordion fremontii

Ground iris
Iris macrosiphon

Spring gold
Lomatium utriculatum

Woolly lomatium
Lomatium dasycarpum

North-facing meadows are coming alive with wildflowers. Seek them out for hound’s tongue, milkmaid and iris now with fritillary lilies coming soon. Find trillium, fetid adder’s tongue and warrior’s plume along the Homestead Trail in our north-facing forests.

NEW
– California blackberry (Rubus ursinus), the native blackberry grows low as a groundcover.

– Footsteps of spring (Sanicula arctopoides) is blooming bright chartreuse, tight against the ground like footsteps.

– Fremont’s deathcamas (Toxicoscordion fremontii) is blooming with large white clusters in meadows.

– Ground iris (Iris macrosiphon) is blooming deep purple in meadows.

– Spring gold (Lomatium utriculatum) is blooming with bright yellow clusters and carroty foliage in meadows.

– Woolly lomatium (Lomatium dasycarpum) is blooming with cream clusters and carroty foliage in meadows.

Gallery of wildflowers and plants found in Homestead.