We hiked a new-to-us trail in Malibu Creek State Park, steep and almost overgrown in parts. It’s unclear why it’s called Phantom, except perhaps that hardly anyone goes there? We didn’t encounter any ghosts, but we did see some out-of-season wildflowers in the wetter areas to the north of the ridge.
Annette and I have hiked to Tropical Terrace in Solstice Canyon many (many) times. But today was our first foray up the Sostomo Trail and around the Deer Valley Loop. We have declared it our new favourite hike. The creek crossings are delightful and the views from the top make the climb worthwhile.
We saw a hedge nettle (Stachys bullata) blooming out of season. What’s up with the common name? This member of the mint family neither grows in a hedge nor stings like a nettle. 🤷🏻♀️
There are quite a few plants in the Asteraceae family with the common name ‘fleabane’. It was once thought that these daisies would rid your house of fleas; this belief apparently now lives in the realm of ‘superstition.’
There aren’t many wildflowers around here at this time of year, so it’s even more enjoyable to see these delicate beauties. Erigeron foliosus is native to western North America from Oregon, through California, into Baja California. It can be found in many habitats, including chaparral, oak woodlands, and rocky talus.
I’ve really enjoyed seeing, and smelling, the vinegarweed that‘s now running riot at the State Park. This annual herb, a member of the mint family, is native to California, though it occurs in other parts of the western U.S. Its preferred habitats are coastal sage scrub, oak woodland, foothill woodland, and chaparral.
The volatile oils in its foliage have a strong vinegar odour, which grazing animals find unpalatable but I quite enjoy sniffing.
Vinegarweed is an important late summer pollen source for native bees and other insects. When a pollinating insect lands on the lower lobes of the corolla, and inserts its mouth parts into the nectar-containing section, the narrow corolla portion above is straightened and snaps rapidly downward brushing pollen onto the insect’s back. Nature never ceases to amaze.
This week in the PerpJo: Epilobium canum, also known as California fuchsia, hummingbird trumpet and firechalice, is a species of willowherb in the evening primrose family (Onagraceae). It’s a low-growing, spreading, perennial sub-shrub with grey-green leaves that are velvety to the touch. and a profusion of bright scarlet flowers in late summer and autumn. It is native to dry slopes and chaparral of western North America, especially California. It’s doing well at our place, and I’m happy to see that it‘s now flowering.
Ashyleaf buckwheat is one of my favourite chaparral plants, and I love that it grows natively here on our block. Also known as coastal buckwheat, it is endemic to the coastline of Southern California, primarily within Los Angeles County and Ventura County.
Eriogonum cinereum can reach from 0.6–1.25 m in height and width. Its foliage is a lovely pale turquoise/silvery grey colour. The leaves are wavy-edged and one to three centimeters long. The inflorescences stick out from the plant, each with several flower cluster heads of tiny tightly-packed frilly flowers which are usually pale pink in colour. It is the food plant for Euphilotes bernardino, the Bernardino dotted blue butterfly.
This could be the poison oak encounter that I won’t be forgetting for a while. It can take several weeks for the rash to appear, but I’m already feeling (psychosomatic?) tingling on my forearms.
However, the Humboldt Lilies were fab!
Now my hands smell all nasturtiumy.
The Matilija Poppies are putting on a lovely show in the Park. Romneya coulteri is native to California and northern Mexico. The plant grows from 2 to 3 metres (6 to 9 feet) tall, with very large flowers that somewhat resemble a fried egg.
The flower is the largest of any California native species. It was nominated as state flower in 1890, but the California poppy won the title in a landslide.
They say virtue is its own reward, but I got a bonus 😊.
Stream orchids are widespread in North America, and ranked secure in conservation status, but they are rare and vulnerable in our mountains.
hashiworks 