Tag Archives: California native

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Such a sweet little flower, Pussy Ears or Cat's Ears, are now blooming on the Mendonoma Coast. Robert Scarola recently photographed one of these beauties. Yes, the flower is soft to the touch.

Below is a photo I took that shows the long, slender leaf of this wildflower. It grows separate from the actual flower. Once you recognized this long leaf, you will more easily see these flowers.

Pussy Ears are also called Hairy Star Tulip or Tolmie Star Tulip and their Latin name is Calochortus tolmiei. They are native to California but found in other western states. They are a treat to find on the edges of forests.

Thanks to Robert for allowing me to share his photo with you here.

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I love this little wildflower. Little Prince's Pine, Chimaphila menziesii, has begun to bloom in a sunny spot in Anchor Bay.

It's a perennial herb and a native of California though it is found in other western states. It is growing in sandy soil at the 600 foot elevation. This small pink wildflower is a rare sighting on the Mendonoma Coast.

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Purdy's Iris, Iris purdyi, is found in Northern California coastal ranges. Emily Nelson found a beautiful blossom growing amidst poison oak on Mountain View Road.

 These California natives are found from Sonoma county north to Trinity county. What a treat to see these beauties. Thanks to Emily for allowing me to share her photos with you here.

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On a hike with Peter Baye and Will Ericson last Sunday - two of my Sightings experts - Rick and I showed them the ancient, twisted Redwood tree on a neighboring property. Peter declared it a forest god and said it was perhaps 2000 years old. I will give you the link below to see photos I have previously posted of this glorious tree.

We then visited our neighbors Frank and Nan Drouillard who showed us the most unusual growths on the forest floor.

I thought they were a type parasitic mushroom but after some research Peter believes the first photo is California Groundcones, Boschniakia strobilacea, a parasitic plant. Both plants are members of the broomrape family  and live off the roots of Manzanita and Madrone, both of which are found on Frank and Nan's land. More study is needed to determine exactly what the white plants are.

Rick and I will hike down to this spot and monitor the progress in the weeks to come. And I will, of course, share the photos with you here.

Here is the link to see the "forest god" old-growth redwood tree: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2011/05/26/old-growth-redwood-tree-that-survived-the-loggers-because-it-grew-in-a-twisted-shape/

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I love the name of this little wildflower - Tidy Tips. Of course its Latin name is a more serious - Layia platyglossa. This yellow wildflower with white tips is blooming now on Coastal bluffs. This flower is a California native, just like me.

 Tidy Tip seeds are often found in wildflower mixes and you can see why. They are charming indeed.