Wildflowers in Shell Ridge
April 9, 2004In spite of the recent warm spell, this is a late year, mostly because of the cool rainy weather in February. Therefore, normal blooming is about 2 to 3 weeks overdue. Yet, there are tens of millions of flowers on these hills we will walk today. The trouble is there are only a few different kinds of flowers. Our walk took us from the Sutherland entrance (off of Walnut Blvd.) to Shell Ridge, taking the road to the right past Bramhall Pond, up the hill to Ginder Gap, up the narrow footpath to the crest of Shell Ridge, along the summit, down the switchback, near Indian Valley school, down the hill to Indian Pond and back to the entrance again. This is about a four-mile walk and will take about 90 minutes.
(1)(2) | ||||
Common Name | Color | Scientific Name | Peterson Refs. | Where Seen |
Sagebrush | ------- | Artemisia californica | K87 | Top of SR |
Blue dicks | Blue | Dichelostemma pulchelum | 352 | Top of Shell Ridge (SR) |
Blue Headed Gilia | Blue | Gilia capitata | 360 | Several on Ridge Top |
Blue-eyed grass | Blue | Sisyrinchium bellum | 350 | Near Bramhall Pond |
Wally baskets | Blue | Triteleia laxa | 352 | All over lower hills |
California Poppies | Orange | Eschscholzia californica | 224 | Spread around |
Red Owl’s clover | Pink | Orthocarpus purpurascens | 240 | One on top of SR |
Tom Cat Clover | Pink | Trifolium tridentatum | 320 | Roadsides |
Vetch, Winter | Pink | Vicia villosa | 326 | All over—yet to bloom |
Arroyo Lupine | Purple | Lupinus succulentus | 376 | Top of SR |
Chinese Houses | Purple | Collinsia heterophylla | 234 | Top of SR |
Filaree—storksbill | Purple | Erodium moschatum | 286 | Roadsides |
Geranium | Purple | Geranium dissectum | 284 | Roadsides |
Larkspur | Purple | Delphinium decorum | 356 | Ridge Top Trail |
Mint | Purple | Mentha arvensis | 314 | Ridge Top Trail-yet to bloom |
Salsify, Common | Purple | Tragopogon porrifolius | 384 | Roadsides |
Milk Thistle | Red | Silybum marianum | 330 | Back of Fossil Hill |
Coast Paintbrush | Red? | Castilleja affinis | 242 | Top of SR |
Bedstraw | White | Galium aparine | 100 | Ridge Top Trail |
Miner’s lettuce | White | Montia perfoliata | 294 | Millions of blooms |
Nemophylla, Meadow | White | Nemophila pedunculata | 74 | Almost gone by now |
Peppergrass | White | Lempidium campestre | 24 | Roadsides |
Poison Oak | White | Toxicodendron diversilobum | K112 | Top of SR |
Shepherd's Needle | White | Scandix pecten-veneris | 66 | Trailsides |
Shepherd’s purse | White | Capsella bursa-pastoris | 26 | Roadsides |
Wavy leaf Soap Plant | White | Chlorogalum pomeridianum | 12 | All over |
Woodland Star | White | Lithophragma affine | 88 | Top of SR |
Yarrow, Common | White | Achillea millefolium | 108 | Ridge Top Trail |
Buttercups | Yellow | Ranunculus eschscholtzii | 154 | Spread around |
Common Sow Thistle | Yellow | Sonchus oleraceus | 218 | Top of SR |
Fiddleneck | Yellow | Amsinckia intermedia | 226 | Top of SR |
Lotus, Birdsfoot | Yellow | Lotus corniculatus | 180 | Roadsides |
Mule Ears, Green | Yellow | Wyethia glabra | 184 | Top of SR |
Mustard | Yellow | Brassica geniculata | 140 | Spread around |
Pineapple Weed | Yellow | Matricaria matricarioides | 210 | Middle of all roads |
Telegraph Weed | Yellow | Heterotheca grandiflora | 214 | Ridge Top Trail |
(1) Peterson's "Pacific States Wildflowers"
(2) Keater, "Plants of the East Bay Parks