I've never found this native wildflower. Peter Baye photographed Tincture Plant, Collinsia tinctoria.
And here's a bonus wildflower sighting, a Phantom Orchid, Cephalanthera austiniae photographed by Peter. The native orchid is also called a Snow Orchid - a real treat to see.
Thanks to Peter for allowing me to share his photos with you here.
It's foggy today, with rain forecast for tomorrow!
Peter Baye found Wild Strawberries, Fragaria vesca, and he found one not just blooming but with ripe fruit – now that’s early!
He wrote that even in the earliest warm spots these native strawberries ripen up in April, not late February. And while these strawberries are small, they are delicious.
Thanks to Peter for allowing me to share his photo with you here.
We did get two small rainstorms. On Thursday, there was .10 inches at our place and Friday brought .25 inches. Season to date is 36.85 inches. Nice to get some wet stuff! Today is windy, cool, with many clouds racing across the sky. Oh, did I mention that it's incredibly beautiful?
Shooting stars is one of the common names for the native wildflower Primula hendersonii. They, like quite a few other wildflowers, have bloomed early due to our warm, dry False Spring. They are quite lovely to see.
Thanks to Peter for allowing me to share his photo with you here.
It's cloudy and chilly on the Mendonoma Coast today. Hoping for rain, and it is in the forecast for early next week.
Peter Baye wrote, "The native milkweed, Asclepias cordifolia, is one of my favorites, common elsewhere, but not around here. It’s toxic to livestock, so ranchers historically got rid of it as much as they could. We need them now for Monarch Butterfly recovery! Fortunately, they spread like weeds once they establish. I’m growing some now.”
Heartleaf Milkweed is this wildflower's common name. It sure is beautiful!
Thanks to Peter for allowing me to share his photo with you here.
Very foggy this morning but the sun is trying to break through this afternoon.
Woodland Clarkia, Clarkia unguiculata, is also called Elegant Clarkia. It's a beautiful native wildflower endemic to California.
I read that bees love these wildflowers - nice to know!
Thanks to Peter for allowing me to share his photo with you here.
We had heavy fog overnight - it sounded like it was raining! But the fog pulled back in the afternoon and, sure enough, there was an ocean out there.