Poppies and lupines at Monte Bello
(See more pictures in our Blooming Plants Photo Gallery)

In some areas, wildflowers are blooming more profusely as a result of the District’s resource conservation efforts, aimed to ensure long-term protection of natural and cultural resources on District preserves. Prescribed burns, like the one implemented at Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve in July 2007, help control non-native invasive species and enhance the natural values of the Preserve’s environment.

Featured Preserve: Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve
• Ancient Oaks Trail: redmaids (Calandrinia ciliata), milkmaids (Cardamine californica), hound’s tongue (Cynoglossum grande), bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare ).
• Other sightings: blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium bellum), gray mule ears (Wyethia helenioides), hedge mustard (Sisymbrium officinale), common yarrow (Achillea millefolium), California buttercup (Ranunculus californicus), checkerbloom aka wild hollyhock aka checker mallow (Sidalcea malviflora), viola aka Johnny Jump Ups (Viola pendunculata), filaree (Erodium)

Wildflower Sightings Elsewhere

El Corte de Madera Creek Open Space Preserve
• Skeggs Point Trailhead (near gate #CM01) and Manzanita Trail: milkmaids, manzanita (Arctostaphylos glandulosa), hound’s tongue, stream violets

El Sereno Open Space Preserve
• Overlook Trail: checker lilies (Fritillaria affinis), striped coralroot orchids (Corallorhiza striata), mature and young nutmeg trees

Fremont Older Open Space Preserve
• Throughout: miniature lupine (Lupinus bicolor), blue dicks (Dichelostemma capitatum), Indian warrior, hound's tongue, vetch (Vicia benghalensis), ceanothus (Ceanothus thyrsiflorus), yerba santa (Eriodictyon), Bermuda buttercup (oxalis pes-caprae).

Picchetti Ranch Open Space Preserve
• Zinfandel Trail and near the winery: hound's tongue, trillium (Trillium chloropetalum), checker lilies (Fritillaria affinis) budding near the creek

Pulgas Ridge Open Space Preserve
• Polly Geraci and Blue Oak Trails: Indian warrior, hound’s tongue, buttercups, shooting star (Dodecatheon hendersonii), sticky monkey flower (Mimulus aurantiacus), madrone (Arbutus menziesii), toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia) and bay blossoms, milkmaids, blue dicks, wild cucumber, mustard, giant trillium, blue-eyed grass, filaree, pacific sanicle (Sanicula crassicaulis), pitcher sage (Lepechinia calycina), star lily, scarlet pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis), bee plant, hedge nettle (Stachys bullata), Solomon’s seal (Smilacina stellata), checker lily, fetid adder’s tongue, lupine, manzanita, ceanothus, yerba santa, manroot

Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve
• Soda Gulch Trail: Mission Bell lilies (Fritillaria affinis)

Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve
• Rhus Ridge Area: popcorn flower (Plagiobothrys nothofulvus), linanthus (Leptosiphon androsaceus), blue dicks, poppies (Eschscholzia californica), tomcat clover (Trifolium willdenovii) , birds’ eye gilia, miniature lupine
• Black Mountain Trail: star lily, mission bells, flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum), gooseberry, hound’s tongue, coralroot, saxifrage (Lithophragma affine ), hillside star (Lithophragma heterophyllum), milkmaids, blue-eyed grass, shooting star, blue witch (Solanum umbelliferum), giant trillium, clematis, buckbrush

Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve
• Near Horseshoe Lake: wild strawberry, popcorn flower, redmaids, poppies, miner’s lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata)

St. Joseph's Hill Open Space Preserve
• buckbrush, shooting stars, checker lilies, fremont lily, hound's tongue, Indian warriors.

Windy Hill Open Space Preserve
• Sausal Pond area, Hamms Gulch and Betsy Crowder Trails: milkmaids, hound’s tongue, wild cucumber, wild strawberry, flowering currant, lupine, English plantain (Plantago lanceolata), trillium, vetch, buttercups, suncups, blue dicks