In these descriptions of the flowers blooming along the trails and roads, usually only the first encounter of a flower is listed, except for exceptional displays or if plants in different areas are in much different stages of bloom. If a bloom is beginning or ending it is designated with (b) or (e) after the name. Transitional cases are noted as (b-f), for beginning to full, for example.
For a narrative of general conditions at the Plateau, and other observations from these hikes, see Observations of Flowering Plants and the Main Vernal Pools on the Mesa de Colorado in 2000 - 2001.
Note the changed order. This page is now chronological, instead of reverse chronological, to match the format of the general observations page.
The observations are incomplete after May 14, 2001. Beginning in 2002, observations are reported only in Current and Archived Bloom Observations.
Observations 2001 January 7 - March 30
Observations 2001 April 1 - 28
2001 May 2
2001 May 6
2001 May 10
2001 May 14
2001 May 18
2001 May 23
2001 May 27
2001 May 31
2001 June 4
2001 June 9
2001 June 12
2001 June 17
2001 June 21
2001 June 25
2001 June 29
2001 July 3
2001 July 7
2001 July 12
2001 July 16
2001 July 21
(missing dates)
2001 August 22
May 2 11:30 - 4:11 pm, conditions cloudy, foggy and cold.
- Vernal Pool Trail, Trailhead to Main Pool: California buttercup ending in drainage, redstem filaree (e), tall popcorn flower, blue dicks, owl's clover, ground pinks (e), smooth cat's ear, goldfields, common lomatium (flowers - e, seed - b), microseris et al, morning glory, dwarf lupine, windmill pink, muilla (e), checkerbloom, yellow sanicle (e), balloon clover, mustard (b), blue-eyed grass (e), shining peppergrass, shooting stars (last few flowers), goldentop, California poppies, vetch, California buttercup (e), patches of owl's clover near pool, brass buttons, downingia (b), vernal pool popcorn flower, water crowfoot.
- Vernal Pool Trail, Main Pool to Adobes: thread-leaved brodiaea (b), bush lupine, larkspur (first flowers), purple sanicle (e), brown microseris, Crete weed, common phacelia, wild pea, gray linear-leaf everlasting, (unknown tallish carrot family), bur-clover, two-tone everlasting (b), (Engelmann oak finished), miner's lettuce, globe lily (first flowers), red-skinned onion (f-e), poison oak, (scrub oak ended), bush monkeyflower, black sage (b), sugarbush (e), narrow-leaved bedstraw (b), cinquefoil (b), gray spoon-leaved everlasting (b), (chamise buds), golden yarrow (b), redberry, (California peony finished), johnny-jump-up (last flowers), ceanothus hybrid at Adobes, pineapple weed.
- Punta Mesa Trail, Adobes to Adobe Loop Trail: poison oak, Pacific sanicle, wild cucumber (e, plus fruit), purple nightshade, slender madia (first flower), locoweed (f-e).
- Adobe Loop Trail, Punta Mesa Trail to Lomas Trail: linear small green leaf everlasting, windmill pink, hollyleaf redberry, bedstraw, hedge mustard, Chinese houses (b), cut-leaved geranium (b), scrub oak (f-e), yellow clover.
- Lomas Trail, Ranch Road from Adobe Loop Trail to Trans Preserve Trail: (no new flowers)
- Trans Preserve Trail, Ranch Road to Vernal Pool Trail: nice bush lupine display on Poppy Hill (but no poppies!), vetch, (elderberry buds), fiesta flower, (clover like tomcat clover, but not white-topped), (clover like tomcat clover), poison oak (e), bee plant (b), spoked fringe pod, (Pacific sanicle done here), {unknown small lupine with red-brown banner, white-purple keel}.
May 6 2:23 -5:38 pm, conditions sunny and hot.
- Vernal Pool Trail, Trailhead to Trans Preserve Trail: California buttercup nearly gone in drainage, goldfields nearly gone around small pools and Main Pool, vernal pool popcorn flower covers about half the radius of the small pools, Mariposa lily (first day), ground pinks (e), tall popcorn flower (e), goldfields (e), muilla (e), owls' clover, microseris et al (e), checkerbloom (e), windmill pink (e), morning glory, blue dicks (nearly gone), mustard, common lomatium (flowers - e, seeds - b), yellow sanicle (e), blue-eyed grass (e), dwarf lupine (e), red maids (e), goldentop (e), California poppy (e), redstem filaree (e).
- Trans Preserve Trail, Vernal Pool Trail to about halfway to Hidden Valley Road: johnny-jump-up (last few flowers), California buttercup (e), checkerbloom (e), hedge mustard (e), bedstraw, bur-clover (e), spoked fringe pod (e), Pacific sanicle (e), hollyleaf redberry (e), small-flowered wild pea, fiesta flower (f-e), cinquefoil (b).
- Vernal Pool Trail, Trans Preserve Trail to Main Pool: purple needle grass, thread-leaved brodiaea (b), balloon clover, scarlet pimpernel, brass buttons (b), downingia (b), spike rush, water crowfoot (b-f), curly dock.
- Vernal Pool Trail, Main Pool to end of chaparral: bush lupine, larkspur, common phacelia, two-tone everlasting, wild pea, fairy lantern, California everlasting (b), bush monkeyflower, black sage, (chamise buds), gray linear-leaf everlasting (b), narrow-leaved bedstraw, golden yarrow (b), red-skinned onion (f-e), cinquefoil (b), poison oak, miner's lettuce.
May 10 3:00 - 7:29 pm, conditions sunny and warm.
- Vernal Pool Trail, Trailhead to Main Pool: Mariposa lily, checkerbloom (e), smooth cat's ear (e), tall popcorn flower (e), redstem filaree (e), mustard, goldfields (last few flowers), owl's clover (e), sand spurrey, muilla (last few flowers), common lomatium (last few flowers; seeds b), windmill pink (e), dwarf lupine (e), earth brodiaea (b), winecup clarkia (b), goldentop (e), blue larkspur, blue dicks (last few flowers), blue-eyed grass (last few flowers), Southern California morning glory, vernal pool popcorn flower in percolation pit, redmaids (e), California poppy (e), purple needle grass, curly dock, vetch, thread-leaved brodiaea, California buttercup (e), downingia (b), spike rush, water crowfoot, brass buttons, Spanish clover.
- Hidden Valley Road, Hidden Valley Trailhead to north end of Los Santos Trail: (recording all blooms again, since this is a much different trail) redstem filaree (last few blooms), checkerbloom (e), mustard, morning glory, curly dock.
- Los Santos Trail, north end to junction with south Los Santos Trail and Hidden Valley Road spur: purple needle grass, elk thistle, blue dicks (last few flowers), windmill pink (e), Spanish clover, bush lupine, Mariposa lily, johnny-jump-up (last two flowers!), purple vetch (beautiful patch at bridge), California everlasting (buds).
- Hidden Valley Road, south Los Santos Trail junction to Trans Preserve junction: beautiful patch of bush lupines, bur-clover (f-e), dwarf lupine (e), California buttercup (e), shining peppergrass (f-e), scarlet pimpernel (e), tall popcorn flower (last few flowers).
- Trans Preserve Trail, Hidden Valley Road to Coyote Trail: bush lupine, Coulter's lupine, California poppies (last few flowers), cut-leaved geranium, fleabane aster (buds), pacific sanicle (e), bedstraw, holly-leaf redberry, poison oak (e, with berries), fairy lantern (b-f), red-skinned onion.
- Coyote Trail, Trans Preserve Trail to Hidden Valley Parking Lot: goldentop (e), owl's clover (e).
May 14
May 18
May 23
May 27
May 31
June 4
June 9
June 12 12:27 - 7:15 pm, conditions cloudy and cool (65° F) at the Vernal Pool Trailhead at noon, becoming sunny and pleasant later.
- Vernal Pool Trail, Trailhead to Main Pool: winecup clarkia, smooth cat's ear, Spanish clover, earth brodiaea (e, last flower), Southern California morning glory (e), sow thistle (e), (daucus ended), prickly pear (b), popcorn flower (e, last flower), dwarf lupine (e - last flower), California poppy (e), brass buttons (e - last flower).
- Granite Loop Trail, N. Trailhead: purple skunkweed, chamise, leafy daisy, rock rose, golden yarrow (e), mustang mint, canchalagua, (bird's beak buds), Mariposa lily (e - last flower), hollyleaf redberry (green berries tinged with red), locoweed (seed pods), California everlasting, blue larkspur (e), yellow pincushion flower (e), squaw bush (red berries), winecup clarkia (e), red thistle, tree clover (e, last bloom), (daucus seeds), fringed Indian pink (f-e), dodder (orange stems), narrowleaf bedstraw (in between flower and seeds), deerweed, Maltese star thistle, three spot (e), Spanish clover, narrowleaf milkweed (b), vervain (f-e), cut-leaved geranium (e, last bloom), prickly pear (b), slender madia, wild honeysuckle (blooms full, but some with green berries), bush monkeyflower (e, last few flowers), branching phacelia, beeplant (f-e), (Indian milkweed fat buds), (San Diego tarweed buds), black sage (e), redberry (red berries).
- Multiuse (Wiashal) Trail, for about one mile: Maltese star thistle, purple skunkweed, chamise, California buckwheat, golden yarrow, fringed Indian pink, deerweed, (acourtia buds), mustang mint, California everlasting, splendid Mariposa lily (e), mulefat (e), locoweed (e, last flower), winecup clarkia, three spot, (cinquefoil done), canchalagua (f-e), leafy daisy, squaw bush (red berries), showy penstemon (e), Turkish rugging, sand spurrey (e), mustard (e), black sage (e), vining snapdragon, bush monkeyflower (e, last flowers), cryptantha (e), wild rockrose, laurel sumac (b, first bloom), wild honeysuckle, Southern California morning glory (e), slender sunflower, downy monkeyflower, yerba santa (last few flowers), yellow pincushion flower.
June 17
June 21
June 25
June 29
July 3
July 7
July 12
July 16
July 21
August 22 On the Adobe Loop Trail, at the NE part of it by the creek, I saw what appeared to be a salsify seed that floated SOUTH, nearly hit the ground, but then soared high in the air, heading south then west. All of this occurred while there was a stiff southerly breeze (heading north).
So it looks like plants with wind-dispersed seed can be caught on eddies that move them against the prevailing wind. And salsify, with its very large parachute, can apparently move around pretty well just in a year.
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Copyright © 2000-2002 by Tom Chester and Jane Strong.
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http://tchester.org/srp/plants/blooms/old/observations.html
Comments and feedback: Tom Chester | Jane Strong
Updated 27 January 2003.