From Figueroa Mountain Wildflower Season Begins in Winter
Nothinsays, “It’s the start of a new year!” like the simple little gems known as Milkmaids. These beauties germinate & blossom from late-December beginning at Birbent Creek into mid-March as far as a quarter-mile up the mountain. Typically, Milkmaids prefer cool shaded areas under oak trees; however, they can be easily viewed along the side of the road from the comfort of your vehicle or appreciated on a long winding bike ride up or down the mountain. The blossoms are white to pale pink.
After the Milkmaids, the next thing to look for are Shooting Stars. These are commonly know as the Padres’ Shooting Star and are pink with both white and yellow bands just above a dark maroon anther tubes; you can often find a carpet of Shooting Stars in open areas. As you proceed up the mountain, you will notice that the stems become thicker and the petals will become more intense and darker with color. At the higher elevations, you will have to look amongst the tall grass.
Another wildflower that I have learned to search out in February is the Chocolate Lily. What is interesting about this lily is it likes adobe soil, and by the time you see it above ground it probably has a stem of about 15 inches or more from its point of germination. As most wildflowers are shallow rooted, this makes the Chocolate Lilys unique. To get to the surface, the stems must grow around rocks and don’t travel in a straight line. The bell-shaped head, which hangs towards the ground, and the stem are chocolate brown in color. They are not easy to spot as they blend in with the environment; you might mistake it for a dried up or dead plant. If you know where to look, there are literally fields of them. These start from seed as well as a dividing bulb that looks like a clove of garlic. It takes five years or more before they bloom from seed and less when started from a bulb.
It is hard to predict which flowers will come up when and in what order they will appear. Early spring flowers are solely dependent on the weather conditions; as the weather warms up, the wildflower season moves up the mountain as well.
Take the family and start looking for the early wildflowers in late December and January. You will be surprised by what you can find. Season after season, you will start to anticipate when and where they will flower. It is a great way to observe nature at its best.
For more photos of Milkmaids, Shooting Stars and Chocolate Lilies, and go to www.myspace.com/figueroascenes
Above Left, are two photos of the unusual, and—for many wildflower lovers — rare Chocolate Lilly. Above Right, Milkmaids, nearly always the year’s first wildflower. Left, typically the second wildflower to bloom each year is the Shooting Star
Nothing says, “It’s the start of a new year!” like the simple little gems known as Milkmaids. These beauties germinate & blossom from late-December beginning at Birbent Creek into mid-March as far as a quarter-mile up the mountain. Typically, Milkmaids prefer cool shaded areas under oak trees; however, they can be easily viewed along the side of the road from the comfort of your vehicle or appreciated on a long winding bike ride up or down the mountain. The blossoms are white to pale pink.
After the Milkmaids, the next thing to look for are Shooting Stars. These are commonly know as the Padres’ Shooting Star and are pink with both white and yellow bands just above a dark maroon anther tubes; you can often find a carpet of Shooting Stars in open areas. As you proceed up the mountain, you will notice that the stems become thicker and the petals will become more intense and darker with color. At the higher elevations, you will have to look amongst the tall grass.
Another wildflower that I have learned to search out in February is the Chocolate Lily. What is interesting about this lily is it likes adobe soil, and by the time you see it above ground it probably has a stem of about 15 inches or more from its point of germination. As most wildflowers are shallow rooted, this makes the Chocolate Lilys unique. To get to the surface, the stems must grow around rocks and don’t travel in a straight line. The bell-shaped head, which hangs towards the ground, and the stem are chocolate brown in color. They are not easy to spot as they blend in with the environment; you might mistake it for a dried up or dead plant. If you know where to look, there are literally fields of them. These start from seed as well as a dividing bulb that looks like a clove of garlic. It takes five years or more before they bloom from seed and less when started from a bulb.
It is hard to predict which flowers will come up when and in what order they will appear. Early spring flowers are solely dependent on the weather conditions; as the weather warms up, the wildflower season moves up the mountain as well.
Take the family and start looking for the early wildflowers in late December and January. You will be surprised by what you can find. Season after season, you will start to anticipate when and where they will flower. It is a great way to observe nature at its best.
For more photos of Milkmaids, Shooting Stars and Chocolate Lilies, and go to www.myspace.com/figueroascenes
